outrage in England, where authorities are investigating two high-profile cases of alleged racial abuse


GENEVA (AP) ― With several top soccer players facing allegations they made racially abusive comments at opponents on the field, FIFA president Sepp Blatter sparked an angry reaction on Wednesday by suggesting such incidents could settled with handshakes.

Blatter said incidents of abuse were “forgotten” after matches and denied in an interview with broadcaster Al-Jazeera that soccer had a racism problem. Blatter went on to suggest that if league officials have to deal with an issue or complaint, then they should “bring two people together and say: ”Shake hands.“

His comments sparked outrage in England, where authorities are investigating two high-profile cases of alleged racial abuse among players during recent Premier League matches.

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, whose brother Anton was the target of an alleged slur by England captain John Terry, wrote on Twitter that he was “astonished” by Blatter’s reported remarks.

“Sepp Blatter your comments on racism are so condescending its almost laughable. If fans shout racist chants but shake our hands is that ok?” Ferdinand wrote. “I feel stupid for thinking that football was taking a leading role against racism.....it seems it was just on mute for a while.”

Blatter’s comments come on the day Liverpool forward Luis Suarez was charged by the English Football Association with racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra, who is black.

Evra told French TV that Suarez used a racist slur “at least 10 times” during United’s 1-1 tie at Liverpool in the Premier League.

Liverpool said Suarez will plead not guilty and insisted that the club is “fully supportive of Luis in this matter.”

Terry has said his comments were taken out of context, but the matter is being investigated by the FA and London police.

In response to Blatter’s comments, English soccer’s governing body told the Associated Press: “The FA are committed to eradicating all forms of discrimination in football where they exist.”

Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of England’s players’ union, said Blatter’s comments were “insensitive and inappropriate at this time.”

“It’s ironic that Sepp Blatter should come out and talk like that because we’ve worked hard to get FIFA to have anti-racism on the agenda,” Taylor said. “As the president of FIFA he’s got to be shouting from the top of the hills that it’s unacceptable on the pitch. We want players to set an example to the rest of the world and particularly the supporters.”

Seeking to calm a growing furor, Blatter issued a further statement through FIFA that his comments had been ”misunderstood.“

“I am committed to fighting this plague and kicking it out of football,” Blatter said. “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.

“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.”

The FIFA president had earlier turned to Twitter trying to calm anger in England.

“Racism and discrimination of any kind have no place in football,” Blatter wrote. “I have said this many times before, and I will say it again and again.”

“However, ― and it is not an excuse ― sometimes, in the heat of the moment, things are said and done on the field of play,” he wrote. “This does not mean that, in general, there is racism on the field of play.”

In the interview with Al-Jazeera, Blatter sought to defuse suggestions racism and discrimination were problems in soccer.

“During a match you may make a movement towards somebody or you may say something to somebody who is not exactly looking like you, but at the end of the day it is forgotten,” Blatter insisted.