Fifa Disbands Anti-racism Task Force

25 Sep 2016 | tshego

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FIFA has announced it has disbanded its anti-racism task force, declaring the work complete, despite ongoing concerns about discriminatory behaviour in Russia ahead of the 2018 World Cup.

FIFA wrote to members of the task force to say it has “completely fulfilled its temporary mission” and “is hereby dissolved and no longer in operation.”

Established in 2013 by ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter and then vice president Jeffrey Webb, the task force aimed to take meaningful action against acts of discrimination.

“I wish I could say that I am shocked by the decision, but unfortunately I am not,” task force member Osasu Obayiuwana told The Associated Press. “The problem of racism in football remains a burning, very serious and topical one, which needs continuous attention.

“I personally think there remained a lot of very serious work for the task force to have done – the 2018 World Cup in Russia being one such matter. But it is evident the FIFA administration takes a different position.”

Webb pleaded guilty to racketeering charges following the US governments probe into corruption in football and was replaced by Congolese federation president Constant Omari.

“We never had a single meeting under his chairmanship,” Obayiuwana added. “I wrote [to] him, more than once, asking for when a meeting would be held. But I never received a reply from him.”

Gerd Dembowski, FIFA, diversity and anti-discrimination manager wrote: “The FIFA Task Force Against Racism and Discrimination was set up with your help on a temporary basis to develop recommendations for FIFA.

“We are therefore delighted to inform you that all of the task force’s recommendations have been implemented and all resulting projects are ongoing.”

FIFA referenced the introduction of an anti-discrimination monitoring system at games and the launch of a ‘Good Practice Guide’. It also told members its own initiatives “actually exceed the working group’s recommendations” with its ‘Say No to Racism’ campaign, women’s leadership conferences and programmes in Russia.