FIFA president Sepp Blatter's controversial comments that there is no racism in soccer are appalling, former England captain David Beckham said on Thursday.
The 75-year-old Swiss has been condemned for his comments on Wednesday, where he also said that if such
incidents did take place on the field, the players should settle their differences with a handshake at the end of the match.
Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Beckham, speaking ahead of his team's Major League Soccer Cup final against the Houston Dynamo on Sunday, joined an ever-growing list of high-profile names to criticize the head of the sport's world governing body.
"I think the comments were appalling," Beckham told a media conference on Thursday. "I think a lot of people have said that. I don't think the comments were very good for this game."
Beckham's England team mate Rio Ferdinand led the criticism of Blatter on social networking website Twitter with Britain's Sports Minister Hugh Robertson calling for the Swiss to resign from the role he has held since 1998.
"I have no power with who goes and who stays within FIFA and I don't wish to have that but there obviously is and has been racism throughout soccer and life over the last few years," Beckham said.
"It's still there and can't just be swept under the carpet and can't just be sorted out just by handshake."
Blatter released a statement later on Wednesday saying his comments had been misunderstood and pledged his commitment to stamping out racism in the sport over the next three-and-a-half years of his term.
"What I wanted to express is that, as football players, during a match, you have 'battles' with your opponents, and sometimes things are done which are wrong," he said.
"But, normally, at the end of the match, you apologize to your opponent if you had a confrontation during the match, you shake hands, and when the game is over, it is over. Having said that, I want to stress again that I do not want to diminish the dimension of the problem of racism in society and in sport," Blatter said.
"I am committed to fighting this plague and kicking it out of football."
Blatter will be a guest of the Asian Football Confederation for their awards dinner in Malaysia on Wednesday, where he is due to hold a media conference.
Blatter apology
Embattled FIFA president Sepp Blatter apologized for his controversial comments about racism on Friday but said he would not be resigning despite a growing clamour in Britain for him to step down.
"It hurts and I am still hurting because I couldn't envisage such a reaction," the 75-year-old head of world soccer's governing body said in a BBC interview.
"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."
Blatter sparked outrage, most notably in England where the FA is dealing with two high-profile racism allegations, when he suggested on Wednesday that incidents of racist abuse on the pitch should be settled with a handshake after the game.
His comments were criticized by players such as England defender Rio Ferdinand and former captain David Beckham and even brought a stinging rebuke from British Prime Minister David Cameron, who described them as "appalling".
However, Blatter said he would not quit over the remarks which have provoked back page headlines in Britain's newspapers such as "Go Now Blatter" and "Now He Must Go".
"I cannot resign," Blatter said. "Why should I?
"When you are faced with a problem you have to face the problem. To leave would be totally unfair and not compatible with my fighting spirit, my character, my energy."
The latest controversy surrounding the long-standing FIFA president erupted on Wednesday when in two separate television interviews he suggested racism in football was not a problem.
Asked by CNN if there was racism in the game, Blatter said: "I would deny it. There is no racism, there is maybe one of the players towards another, he has a word or a gesture which is not the correct one.
"But also the one who is affected by that, he should say that this is a game. We are in a game, and at the end of the game, we shake hands."
Twitter exchange
His remarks provoked disbelief from Ferdinand, whose brother Anton is at the centre of a police probe after England and Chelsea captain John Terry was accused of racist abuse towards the Queen Park Rangers player during a recent Premier League game.
Liverpool's Luis Suarez, who like Terry denies wrongdoing, has been charged over alleged racist insults towards Manchester United's Patrice Evra.
Manchester United defender Rio was involved in a Twitter exchange with Blatter on Thursday, suggesting FIFA had tried to limit the damage by posting a photo of its president posing with Tokyo Sexwale, who worked with FIFA on anti-racism initiatives.
Sexwale, who is the Minister of Human Settlements in South Africa, said Blatter's comments had been "unfortunate".
"No handshakes repair these things, the exchange of jerseys doesn't take it away," he said. "I think what Mr Blatter was saying he mixed up all those emotions and was quick to say let's get on with the game.
"I think this mistake has come at the right time because he has inadvertently raised the bar and the attention about racism and discrimination on the pitch." — Reuters
The 75-year-old Swiss has been condemned for his comments on Wednesday, where he also said that if such
incidents did take place on the field, the players should settle their differences with a handshake at the end of the match.
Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Beckham, speaking ahead of his team's Major League Soccer Cup final against the Houston Dynamo on Sunday, joined an ever-growing list of high-profile names to criticize the head of the sport's world governing body.
"I think the comments were appalling," Beckham told a media conference on Thursday. "I think a lot of people have said that. I don't think the comments were very good for this game."
Beckham's England team mate Rio Ferdinand led the criticism of Blatter on social networking website Twitter with Britain's Sports Minister Hugh Robertson calling for the Swiss to resign from the role he has held since 1998.
"I have no power with who goes and who stays within FIFA and I don't wish to have that but there obviously is and has been racism throughout soccer and life over the last few years," Beckham said.
"It's still there and can't just be swept under the carpet and can't just be sorted out just by handshake."
Blatter released a statement later on Wednesday saying his comments had been misunderstood and pledged his commitment to stamping out racism in the sport over the next three-and-a-half years of his term.
"What I wanted to express is that, as football players, during a match, you have 'battles' with your opponents, and sometimes things are done which are wrong," he said.
"But, normally, at the end of the match, you apologize to your opponent if you had a confrontation during the match, you shake hands, and when the game is over, it is over. Having said that, I want to stress again that I do not want to diminish the dimension of the problem of racism in society and in sport," Blatter said.
"I am committed to fighting this plague and kicking it out of football."
Blatter will be a guest of the Asian Football Confederation for their awards dinner in Malaysia on Wednesday, where he is due to hold a media conference.
Blatter apology
Embattled FIFA president Sepp Blatter apologized for his controversial comments about racism on Friday but said he would not be resigning despite a growing clamour in Britain for him to step down.
"It hurts and I am still hurting because I couldn't envisage such a reaction," the 75-year-old head of world soccer's governing body said in a BBC interview.
"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."
Blatter sparked outrage, most notably in England where the FA is dealing with two high-profile racism allegations, when he suggested on Wednesday that incidents of racist abuse on the pitch should be settled with a handshake after the game.
His comments were criticized by players such as England defender Rio Ferdinand and former captain David Beckham and even brought a stinging rebuke from British Prime Minister David Cameron, who described them as "appalling".
However, Blatter said he would not quit over the remarks which have provoked back page headlines in Britain's newspapers such as "Go Now Blatter" and "Now He Must Go".
"I cannot resign," Blatter said. "Why should I?
"When you are faced with a problem you have to face the problem. To leave would be totally unfair and not compatible with my fighting spirit, my character, my energy."
The latest controversy surrounding the long-standing FIFA president erupted on Wednesday when in two separate television interviews he suggested racism in football was not a problem.
Asked by CNN if there was racism in the game, Blatter said: "I would deny it. There is no racism, there is maybe one of the players towards another, he has a word or a gesture which is not the correct one.
"But also the one who is affected by that, he should say that this is a game. We are in a game, and at the end of the game, we shake hands."
Twitter exchange
His remarks provoked disbelief from Ferdinand, whose brother Anton is at the centre of a police probe after England and Chelsea captain John Terry was accused of racist abuse towards the Queen Park Rangers player during a recent Premier League game.
Liverpool's Luis Suarez, who like Terry denies wrongdoing, has been charged over alleged racist insults towards Manchester United's Patrice Evra.
Manchester United defender Rio was involved in a Twitter exchange with Blatter on Thursday, suggesting FIFA had tried to limit the damage by posting a photo of its president posing with Tokyo Sexwale, who worked with FIFA on anti-racism initiatives.
Sexwale, who is the Minister of Human Settlements in South Africa, said Blatter's comments had been "unfortunate".
"No handshakes repair these things, the exchange of jerseys doesn't take it away," he said. "I think what Mr Blatter was saying he mixed up all those emotions and was quick to say let's get on with the game.
"I think this mistake has come at the right time because he has inadvertently raised the bar and the attention about racism and discrimination on the pitch." — Reuters
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