FA set to vote for five-game racism ban proposal

Johannesburg: The English Football Association (FA) is due to vote on a proposal during their annual general meeting that vouches for the introduction of a minimum of five-match-ban for racial abuse, following recent cases of racism during games. The proposal leaves enough space for the deterrent to be increased in case of aggravating circumstances.

FA chairman David Bernstein has assured that the governing body will ensure new anti-racism measures, even as he refused supporting the proposal of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for a 10-game minimum ban for racist slurs. Bernstein further said that FA’s proposal need not be exactly similar to the measures of UEFA, adding that the English body might increase the ban from 5 to over 10 games eventually. The FA members have received much complaints and pressure for tougher and clearer sanctions, as players such as Luis Suarez and John Terry have received different ban limits for racial abuse as Suarez was banned for 8 games while Terry received half the punishment. However, chairman of English football anti-racism group ‘Kick It Out’ Herman Ouseley has said that he believes that FA’s stance on the matter will not hold any credibility if it does not go with stronger deterrents and express zero tolerance as people must feel confident of stricter actions on complaints. ANI