Pretty self explanatory title there, I'm going to talk about Sepp Blatter, the FIFA President since 1998 and at the moment caught in a storm of controversy over comments he made about racism in football. Essentially he said that football doesn't have a problem with racism, or at least that's the way his words have been interpreted. "There is no racism [on the field], but maybe there is a word or gesture that is not correct," Blatter told CNN. "The one affected by this should say this is a game and shake hands." Now whilst this may seem harmless enough what you have here is the president of an international football federation saying that any racism on the pitch can be solved with a handshake.
The BBC reported the angry reaction of some footballers including England Defender Rio Ferdinand who tweeted "Tell me I have just read Sepp Blatter's comments on racism in football wrong....if not then I am astonished." Former Spurs striker Garth Crooks also commented saying "Clearly Sepp Blatter is a man who's never suffered from racism," he went on to say "I'm shocked and somewhat dismayed." The original statement from Blatter came on the same day as Liveverpool striker Luis Suarez was charged by the FA for alleged racist comments made towards Manchester United defender Patrice Evra. The accusation is denied by both player and club and Suarez says he will plead not guilty to the charge. England and Chelsea captain John Terry is also at the centre of an investigation following allegations made against the player that he used a racist slur towards QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.
Today though Blatter has said he will not quit despite calls for his resignation from a large number of British players, managers, administrators and politicians. He has apologised to the BBC saying "It hurts and I am still hurting because I couldn't envisage such a reaction," he went on to say "When you have done something which was not totally correct, I can only say I am sorry for all those people affected by my declarations." Chelsea manager Andre Villas Boas is supportive of Blatter however, saying to the BBC "To put in doubt the leadership of Sepp Blatter as FIFA president is not for me to say or managers to say." Another supporter of Blatter's decision to stay on and fight is current Minister of Human Settlements of South Africa and anti-Apartheid activist, Tokyo Sexwale (no really). "It takes a big man to say 'I'm sorry'," said Sexwale "In Fifa, we kick the football and not the man."
What worried me most about the whole thing was not Blatter's comments, whilst ill-timed and possibly offensive. What worried me was that the media reportage of this incident has come almost entirely from this country. Why are other countries not as upset or affected? The BBC's chief football writer Phil McNulty tweeted "Getting quite a few tweets from people suggesting Blatter's words only headline news in England/Britain. In which case we should be proud." I think it's time people were a little more proud of the media we have in Britain.
Until Next Time. Stay Classy Internet.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15782265.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15757165.stm
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