FIFA’s Infantino calls for automatic forfeits for teams over racist abuse
Al JazeeraJan 30
FIFA Boss Infantino Suggests Forfeits for Racist Abuse
The Facts
Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Pres. Gianni Infantino has called for an automatic forfeit for soccer teams whose supporters commit acts of racism, as well as worldwide stadium bans and criminal charges for those who engage in racist acts or verbiage.
Infantino's statement came after two incidents of alleged racist abuse were reported Saturday — one in Italy's top-flight Serie A and another in England's [second-tier] Championship.
The Spin
Narrative A
As the abhorrent scenes in Sheffield and Udine over the weekend have further stressed, incidents of racial abuse will keep repeatedly happening in stadiums unless meaningful actions are taken. Infantino has finally called for a real punishment to be meted out to racists, so it's time to take action.
Narrative B
Though it's great Infantino has put a spotlight on the racism issue, his solutions may not be enforceable because FIFA has jurisdiction only over its own competitions. Stadium bans and criminal charges depend on each country's laws. Making a team automatically forfeit a game under these circumstances is an idea that would certainly backfire.