England face 2018 World Cup ban for fans' anti-IRA chant

Fifa's new anti-discrimination monitoring system can dish out sanctions that range from a £20,000 fine all the way up to disqualification from a competition

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Warning: England will be punished if fans chant anti-IRA songs Photo: PA

 

  England could be banned from the next World Cup under a new Fifa initiative if their fans continue to chant anti-IRA slogans at matches.

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The Football Association is at risk of being punished as early as the historic friendly in the Republic of Ireland next month, following the unveiling of the world governing body’s anti-discrimination monitoring system at Wembley yesterday.

The system will involve World Cup qualifiers – and high-risk friendlies – being scrutinised for any discriminatory behaviour, which one of its architects, Piara Powar, of Football Against Racism in Europe, confirmed would include anti-IRA chants.

Any association whose supporters are found guilty of such behaviour faces sanctions that range from a fine of £20,000 all the way up to disqualification from a competition.

Powar, a member of Fifa’s task force against racism and discrimination, revealed the governing body was considering instructing him to send an observer to England’s first match in Dublin since violence forced the abandonment of a friendly there 20 years ago. The FA has already taken steps to stop supporters singing anti-IRA chants at next month’s game, but will now be able to warn them that such actions could have dire consequences for the national side.
Powar said: “ 'No Surrender To The IRA’ comes from a point which is extreme nationalism. It’s about conflict between two states. That then would be reported. We would be making reports as often as our experts feel there is a case to answer. Then it’s down to Fifa.”
Powar said repeat offenders would face the most severe sanctions. “Some of the countries in this competition are going to commit three or four offences. That would mean they will have at least a stadium closure and possibly face being kicked out of the competition. We wouldn’t be doing this if we weren’t confident Fifa had the intention at least to take action on the evidence we provide to them.”
Fifa developed its new monitoring system after being condemned over its failure to punish clear incidents of discrimination at the World Cup last year, something it vowed yesterday would not be repeated.

_{Yaya Touré welcomed Fifa's new anti-discrimination initiative}
The initiative was welcomed by the Manchester City midfielder Yaya Touré, who warned in 2013 that African players could boycott the tournament in Russia after he was racially abused playing there against CSKA Moscow in the Champions League.
• Yaya Toure insists racist abuse can 'break' players
Touré, who sidestepped questions about whether he still held that view, said: “I have been in the situation where there have been monkey chants and it’s difficult to deal with that. As sportsmen, you want to continue to the end, but when you hear something like that, it hurts you and breaks you. You need to give them [offenders] a radical sanction – paying a £20,000 fine is not enough, you need to do more.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/news/11601689/England-face-2018-World-Cup-ban-for-fans-anti-IRA-chant.html

NWN: This site knows for a fact, that rather a lot of Army veterans will be very unhappy about this codswallop.