FA boss Greg Clarke calls for more action to stamp out racism
Uefa’s protocol on responding only to mass behaviour needs to extend to individuals
London — Football Association chair Greg Clarke called for zero tolerance on racism on Tuesday and said it should be easier for referees to stop a game and take players off the pitch if racially abused. Addressing an Equal Game conference organised by European soccer body Uefa at Wembley Stadium, Clarke said he had rewritten a planned speech after racist abuse of England players in Montenegro last week. He said Uefa’s three-step protocol on tackling racism could be improved. The protocol allows the referee to stop a match if “racist behaviour is of a strong magnitude and intensity”. “There should be no judgment call on whether something is of a strong magnitude,” said Clarke. “Racism is racism and we should have zero tolerance for it.” England defender Danny Rose was subjected to “monkey” chants during the Euro 2020 qualifier won 5-1 by his side in Podgorica while Raheem Sterling was also targeted. Clarke said the protocol is designed to deal with mass chanting but abuse from one fa...
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