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Published 18:16 16 Nov 2011 GMT
Updated 03:17 1 Jun 2013 BST
Barmy FIFA President Sepp Blatter has offered up his typically controversial opinion on racism in football. He doesn’t believe it exists.
What with Luis Suarez being charged for allegedly insulting Patrice Evra, John Terry being investigated for supposedly calling Anton Ferdinand a black c**t and the likes of Fraizer Campbell and Daniel Sturridge being subjected to racist abuse on Twitter, racism in football is a pretty hot topic at the moment and you would expect the head of FIFA to have a reasoned and forthright opinion on the matter.
But then again you would never really expect that of Sepp Blatter, as his name and the words ‘reason’ and ‘forthright’ aren’t exactly comfortable bedfellows. Here’s what old Sepp had to say on the matter (Click ahead to 1.30 to hear him for yourself on the video above).
"There is no racism, but maybe there is a word or gesture which is not the correct one," he said.
"The one affected by this should say this is a game and shake hands."
"I think the whole world is aware of the efforts we are making against racism and discrimination. And on the field of play sometimes you say something that is not very correct, but then at the end of the game, the game is over and you have the next game where you can behave better."
So take it on the chin and get on with it is the premise of Blatter’s argument and after word of his comments provoked quite a bit of reaction worldwide, Sepp took to Twitter to defend himself. Well, sort of.
“I gave some interviews today, where I spoke among other things about our fight against racism," he said.
“Racism and discrimination of any kind have no place in football. I have said this many times before, and I will say it again and again.
“However, and it is not an excuse, sometimes, in the heat of the moment, things are said and done on the field of play which are wrong.
“This does not mean that, in general, there is racism on the field of play. Football unites people more than it divides them."
Basically repeating what he had said before then. How this man is one of the most powerful in football is beyond me.
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