FIFA introduces more racism surveillance for World Cup

[May 12, 2015]  LONDON (Reuters) - A new system of match observers monitoring incidents of racism and discrimination at 2018 World Cup qualifiers was announced by FIFA on Tuesday.

The system will be co-ordinated by world soccer's ruling body and implemented in co-operation with the European anti-discrimination organization FARE.

Any incidents of discrimination or racism will be reported to FIFA which has pledged to impose disciplinary sanctions on any countries involved.

The implementation of the new system is particularly apt as racism is rife in soccer in Russia, hosts of the 2018 World Cup.

More than 200 incidents were committed by Russian fans between 2012 and 2014 according to a recent report by the Sova Center, a Moscow-based racism-monitoring group.

Last month FIFA president Sepp Blatter said "a lot of work needs to be done" to wipe the scourge of racism and discrimination from Russian soccer and the game in general.

FIFA and European soccer's governing body UEFA have often imposed relatively small punishments when incidents have occurred in the past.

(Reporting by Mike Collett, editing by Tony Jimenez)

[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.