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FIFA wrote to members in September to say it was disbanding
the task force set up by then boss Sepp Blatter in 2013, and
declaring that it had "completely fulfilled its temporary
mission".
The former world and European champion and Serie A winner let
fly at soccer's world governing body.
"I am extremely shocked that such an important organization that
can reach millions of people, especially children, can say in
2016, in this global political situation, 'the job is done'," he
told Reuters in Stockholm, where he was speaking on the subject
of racism for his Lilian Thuram Foundation.
"It's very, very shocking."
After speaking to an invited audience about hearing monkey
noises from the terraces as a player in Italy, the former AS
Monaco, Parma, Juventus and Barcelona defender attacked the
signals being sent by FIFA.
"There is a symbolism in them saying that, that 'this is no
longer important to us'. It (racism) is a recurring problem in
our societies.
"We must be on our guard and start to change the way we think,
especially as football is an incredibly good way to get people
to think differently. Football and sport are the best ways to
reach that result."
The 44-year-old Thuram, who was born in Guadeloupe before moving
to Paris at the age of nine, said he would continue his own work
to combat racism in the game.
"My foundation, which aims to create more brotherhood in our
society, continues its work, regardless of what FIFA does. But
the more people we are the better, especially in an organization
such as FIFA."
He doubted, however, that FIFA would change its mind.
"If FIFA say that their project is over, they have thought it
through and it is very sad that they have reached that
conclusion."
Thuram's career ended in 2008 when a heart condition was
discovered in conjunction with a proposed move to Paris Saint
Germain and since then he has devoted himself to fighting racism
through discussion and the education of young people.
Despite the recent rise of populist and far-right parties and
candidates in Europe and the United States, Thuram said there
was less racism today than previously.
"People are conditioned in a certain direction," he explained.
"To see it as there being more and more racism in society is to
not understand the history of racism.
"You say that because you don't see that, not so long ago, there
were people suffering under apartheid because they were the
wrong color, segregation based on skin color, colonies based on
skin color, and today that is not the case."
The Frenchman said that though he had experienced racism in his
own career both on and off the field, it was not something that
bothered him unduly.
"I had no problem realizing that it was them that had the
problem, not me," he said.
(Editing by Clare Fallon)
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