Blatter walks into racism debate

News: FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said he would have backed the England players had they walked off the pitch following the racist abuse hurled at them by some Spanish supporters at the Bernabeu on Wednesday. England's black players were the target of racist taunts throughout the 1-0 friendly defeat to Spain.

When asked whether England should have walked off, Blatter replied: "I would have understood such a movement."

And when pressed on the matter and questioned as to whether he would have backed England walking off, Blatter responded: "Yes, definitely. In such a circumstance that England were put through by the behaviour of the fans, I would have supported them walking off.

"I was shocked and I am still shocked at what happened. I am sad at this new expression of racism in a stadium that has been a temple of football and I cannot understand that.

"I can only say in the name of FIFA, I apologise for what has happened in this football match because in the year of the centenary of FIFA when we are promoting being the fair play family, to see that in the Bernabeu is something that hurt me."

An investigation is ongoing and FIFA are to deliver their verdict in the near future. Blatter, though, has paved the way for teams and players to walk if they encounter the kind of racism Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ashley Cole and Rio Ferdinand were subjected to.

"We are going to give out a recommendation and instruction in this matter and something like that will be possible because we have to maintain discipline and respect, on and off the field of play," confirmed Blatter.

"If such incidents happen during the match, and in such a manner as we witnessed the other day in the Bernabeu Stadium, then it could be a possibility.

"When such a threat is on football in future I think it would be a good remedy for such actions. But I am sure that in future, by taking action against such a situation, there will be no more matter of a team having to walk off."

There is the fear that by walking off players would be giving into the racists, who could potentially force a match to be abandoned if their team were losing.

"This would not be the case," insisted Blatter. "It would be a matter for the competitions committee to decide. But we will never accept you can just abandon a match by organising such a movement. Let's be confident that by taking steps against such behaviour in future we can avoid such situations."

FIFA's powers are wide ranging, ranging from a simple slap on the wrist to a suspension for future matches, and the Spanish FA are waiting anxiously on what punishment, if any, FIFA's disciplinary committee will decide on.

Blatter refused to pre-empt the judgement. "We first have to investigate. I will not make a statement on what they should or should not do because they are independent and we have to let them work.

"In our books there are sanctions upon which our disciplinary committee can act, but I am not saying what the sanction will be until we have the results of the investigation."