SEEDORF SPEAKS ONENDING HATE SPEECH

Dutch football icon Clarence Seedorf has provided an effective way to end hate speech in football. According to him, players who cover their mouth while speaking to referees and rival officials should be booked.

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Clarence Seedorfgave the blueprint on ending hate speech in the game while addressing a council of Europe meeting on combating hate speech last month. According to him, sanctioning players that cover their mouth is a simple step to ending hate speech in football.

Seedorf was speaking on the back of the widely publicised racist incident involving Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara and Sparta Prague player OndrejKudela. Kudela covered his mouth when he was adjudged to have racially abuse Kamara during the second leg of the last 16tie between Scottish champions Rangers and Czech Republic club Sparta Prague in the Europa League.Kudela denied racially abusing Kamara on several occasion.

Clarence Seedorf also told the council of Europe meeting on combating hate speech that football bodies like FIFA and UEFA need to be reflective of the society if discrimination must be a thing of the past. The four-time Champions League winner said that the football bodies must lead by example as there are no equality in those organisations.

Seedorf says it’s fine for players to cover their mouth when talking to their teammates or coaches but the sanction of a yellow card should be introduced for players who cover their mouths while speaking to the opposition or to referees.

The former Inter Milan, Real Madrid and AC Milan player also talked about the role of media in combating racism. The ex-Dutch international said that the media needs to shift focus from offenders to the punishments meted out to them.