FIFA criticised over derisory fine

Soccer: FIFA was accused yesterday of effectively condoning racism after the Spanish FA was fined only 100,000 Swiss francs (€65,000) for the racist chanting by fans that marred England's friendly in Madrid last month.

After a month-long investigation into the shaming episode, FIFA warned the Spanish authorities that any repetition could see them forced to play matches behind closed doors or expelled from competitions, but those threats are unlikely to draw the sting from criticism of the derisory fine.

It is less than the 150,000 Swiss francs fine levelled at the English FA after racist songs were sung at the Euro 2004 qualifier against Turkey at Sunderland in 2003, and half the amount the Cameroon FA had to pay for allowing their national team to play in an unauthorised kit in the 2004 African Cup of Nations.

During the game at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, England players including Ashley Cole and Sean Wright-Phillips were subjected to repeated baiting and monkey chants by large elements of the 60,000 crowd. Similar taunts had been aimed at England's under-21 side in Alcala the previous evening.

The widespread racist abuse came after the Spanish coach, Luis Aragones, escaped without censure after he was recorded telling winger Juan Antonio Reyes that his Arsenal team-mate Thierry Henry was "a black shit".

Aragones has since appeared before a government commission and disciplinary proceedings by the Spanish FA have belatedly started, but he remains in his post.

Trevor Phillips, chairman of the British Commission for Racial Equality, which is working to increase black representation within football management, described the fine as "pathetic".

"It's nice to see that FIFA has woken up for Christmas, but this is an absolutely pathetic response," he said. "It gives licence to football authorities across the world to ignore racist behaviour, and every football fan will know it: £48,000 for a football authority is luncheon vouchers - it's not even Thierry Henry's weekly wage.

"This whole affair stemmed from the decision not to censure Aragones. What he said about Henry was pure racism, and the Spanish FA did nothing, UEFA did nothing and FIFA did nothing, which led the fans to know they could do as they pleased and not face censure. This decision sends out a message that the world governing body is not prepared to do anything about racism."

Piara Powar, director for Kick It Out, believes the ruling proves FIFA are not taking the issue of racism seriously enough.

"Our reaction is this doesn't go far enough," he said. "We would have expected the Spanish to be forced to play behind closed doors and warned about any incidents of racism at future games.

"The extent and the impact of what happened at the Bernabeu was so far-reaching and so important that FIFA needed to send out a clear and decisive message that there is no excuse for any country that doesn't meet the challenge of tackling racism."

FIFA did say in its judgment that Spain can expect harsher sanctions in future, but Powar is not impressed with that line. He added: "That cuts little ice. This is worse than a slap on the wrist. We are talking about one of the major European football nations here. This is simply not good enough by FIFA."

The decision to impose such a small fine was privately greeted with astonishment at the FA. Officials had provided a dossier detailing the abuse suffered by players from the under-21 and senior squads on the trip to Spain.

After the game England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson said the only good thing that came out of the incident was it gave FIFA "a golden opportunity" to make a firm statement about racism.

The dismay felt within Soho Square was thinly veiled in a statement released last night, in which the FA said it "must" accept FIFA's decision. It went on: "The FA is firmly committed to fighting racism in football, and we will continue to adopt a zero-tolerance approach to games in England and those we play abroad. Racism is the scourge of the game, and it is the responsibility of all who care about the game to do all they can to eradicate it."

The chief executive of the UK Professional Footballers' Association, Gordon Taylor, added: "I think the general feeling in England will be one that the sanction is far too lenient, and I would be one of those who thinks that way."

Guardian Service