Blatter takes dig at Platini over UEFA's weak handling of racism issue

By Charles Sale

PUBLISHED: 18:01 EST, 27 October 2013 | UPDATED: 18:49 EST, 27 October 2013

Football's war against racism is already proving a battleground in the likely fight for the 2015 FIFA presidency between Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini.

Blatter didn’t mention either UEFA or their French leader during his speech at the FA’s flagship 150th anniversary event. But his comments that it was a ‘nonsense’ for racism to be dealt with either by inadequate fines or matches played behind closed doors was an obvious dig at UEFA’s weak handling of the issue.

The FIFA president revealed on Sunday he had informal talks with Platini on punishments when they sat on the same table at London’s Connaught Rooms.

Nonsense: FIFA president Sepp Blatter believes clubs should face harsher punishments if their fans make racist remarks

Nonsense: Sepp Blatter believes clubs should face harsher punishments if their fans make racist remarks at matches

Dig: Blatter revealed on Sunday that Michel Platini had said throwing clubs out of competitions was 'too harsh'
Michel Platini

Dig: Blatter revealed on Sunday that Michel Platini had said throwing clubs out of competitions was 'too harsh'

 
   

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Blatter called for zero tolerance on racism and said the FIFA Congress had decreed points deductions or expulsions as a third step following warnings and initial sanctions.

But Blatter said Platini told him on Saturday that this was ‘too harsh and impossible to do’. 

Meanwhile, the FIFA president completed his weekend trip to the UK, during which he made his barmy  ‘compare me to Robin Hood’ address to the Oxford Union, by announcing football ‘makes people a little bit mad’. You said it.

Dyke overcomes food poisoning to make FA speech

Greg Dyke, who has had a turbulent start as FA chairman, had to contend with food poisoning before making the closing speech at the FA’s big dinner.

Dyke, who started his day at St George’s Park before going to Villa Park, would have been struggling if speaking first.

The FA made the right move in not letting commercial sponsors hijack their anniversary event, while opera singer Paul Potts, who stole the show despite poor acoustics, provided his services for free because of the cause. There were, unfortunately, a number of errors in the FA slide show history, including mixing Spurs’ 1961 Double winners up with the ’67 FA Cup side.

Hodgson preparing for Brazil

Manager Roy Hodgson will not know England’s World Cup opponents until the draw in Bahia on December 6. But Hodgson will take the opportunity to familiarise himself with the tournament’s final venue, Rio’s Maracana, two days earlier. He will attend the Soccerex convention in the iconic stadium where England drew against Brazil last June.

Return: Roy Hodgson will attend the Soccerex convention at the Maracana stadium were England drew 2-2 in June

Return: Roy Hodgson will attend the Soccerex convention at the Maracana stadium were England drew 2-2 in June

 

The terms of reference for the troubled England Commission have been agreed after numerous email exchanges between FA board members, with Premier League chairman Anthony Fry taking a lead.

The  10-strong group, that doesn’t include any PL representation, will meet for the first time on Wednesday. The FA will take their time before adding members to the group, a similar approach to FIFA’s working group looking into a winter World Cup in Qatar. That will come together just before the 2014 World Cup.

 

Birthday tweet for FA

Andros Townsend has moved on spectacularly from his one-month close-season ban for breaching FA betting rules and even tweeted a happy 150th birthday to the governing body.

Townsend signed a new Tottenham contract on the back of great displays for club and country while dad Troy’s acclaimed work for Kick It Out was recognised when he appeared on a panel with Michael Owen at the birthday bash.

Good work: Troy Townsend (left), father to Andros, saw his work for Kick It Out recognised at the FA's birthday bash

Good work: Troy Townsend (left), father to Andros, saw his work for Kick It Out recognised at the FA's birthday bash

Not so happy with their FA treatment is Accrington Stanley’s former managing director Rob Heys, banned from all football for 21 months for breaking gambling rules, and former FA compliance chief Graham Bean, who represented Heys at his failed appeal.

Heys tweeted: ‘Will Andros Townsend do me a favour and include my name on his 150th birthday card for the FA? Can be a bit pricey when you’re out of work.’

Bean added: ‘Sickening - Andros Townsend tweets happy b’day  to the FA who looked after him so well for betting on his own team - no wonder.’

 

Sky Sports, with exclusive UK TV rights to the Ashes this winter, are in a position to stipulate any potential terrestrial broadcaster can show highlights only after 10pm, just before the next day’s play starts Down Under. Yet Sky still expect to agree a terrestrial deal before the first Test.

 

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Pot, meet kettle

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And you expect us to believe that tosh Tell Lynton he will have to feed you better stuff than this.

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No to qatar WORLD CUP where slavery is RIFE! slaves are dying.

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An election is now in sight. Expect so much hot air over the next 18 months that it will make Storm St Jude look like a Spring zephyr. This is just the beginning.

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Much better to solve racism by a handshake as Blatter wants? Yeah right!

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Blatter v Platini for the top job eh , talk about Hobson's choice !

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Hmmm Money Money Money Hmmm Money

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There's nobody more racist towards the English than Blatter

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yeah, spot on sepp. none of these namby pamby little fines...the correct punishment for continual racial abuse should be awarding the nation concerned a world cup.

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He looks like a greedy pig!

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