No place for racism in football

3.01.15pm GMT Tue 23rd Nov 2004

Bath's MP, Don Foster, has continued his form in being among the first to table a Parliamentary Motion of a new session.

At the beginning of the last session, Don co-sponsored, with his Lib Dem colleague Bob Russell MP, an Early Day Motion (EDM 1) congratulating the England Rugby Team on their World Cup success, and has now achieved the same feat, but on a much more disturbing issue - racism in football.

Commenting Bath's MP, says, "Our EDM last year marked a high point for English sport, this one marks one of the most disturbing.

"The scenes from the recent friendly played against Spain at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, were disgraceful, but the players at the focus of the abuse behaved magnificently. "The Football governing bodies UEFA and FIFA must ensure that sanctions are enforced when racial or religious abuse at international matches is not stamped out."

"There should be no place for racism in sport."

The text of the EDM is as follows:

That this House deplores the racial abuse of England players in the recent friendly played against Spain at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid; praises the conduct of the England team, in particular Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Jermaine Jenas and Jemaine Defoe for responding in such a dignified manner in spite of unspeakable provocation; welcomes the decision of the Minister for Sport and Tourism to write to the Spanish government expressing the nation's outrage at this incident; calls upon football governing bodies UEFA and FIFA to ensure that countries face severe sanctions when racial or religious abuse at international matches is not stamped out by the national governing bodies; agrees that racism has no place in football whatsoever and reaffirms its support for the 'Let's Kick Racism out of Football' initiative; applauds community outreach schemes run by many British clubs which use football to help unite communities; urges the FA, the Premier League, the Professional Footballers' Association and the Football Foundation to renew efforts to promote ethnic minority involvement in football club training and management structures.