What should be done to curb this scourge?

This debate is now closed.

The FA says it will be making an official complaint about the racist chanting which Emile Heskey and Ashley Cole were subjected to during England's Euro 2004 qualifier.

Players from English clubs have been abused playing in Europe this season and PSV Eindhoven were recently fined �13,000 by Uefa.

However, football's governing bodies are under pressure to introduce stiffer penalties to show they are serious about eradicating racism from football.

Is enough being done to clean up the game? And what initiatives would you like to see introduced?

The behaviour of some Slovak fans was indeed beyond excuse, but let me just ask one question: Is it going to solve all racism-related problems in football and sport in general if Slovakia is made a scapegoat? I certainly do not think so.
Jozef Cesek, Slovakia

Much as I deplore racism, excessive media coverage and (often hypocritical) popular outrage will only antagonize and encourage the culprits.
Remco, Netherlands

The authorities need to be very firm and clear about this type of behaviour. When English clubs had problems with hooligans, Uefa took very appropriate action by excluding them from European competitions.

When you ban somebody, a very clear message is sent. This is the only answer as racism is as serious as hooliganism and needs to be addressed immediately.
Richie, USA

People need to wake up a bit in here. Of course racism is bad but have you been to Slovakia? Do you really think the local police are going to say to the crowd "now don't be racist?". Wake up and realise that these countries are very backward.

Racism is bad, but so is the crowd saying they want to see your son dead (the chants Beckham got throughout his own country after the '98 World Cup.
Steve Hull, England

We are a group of year six children. We would like to ask the Slovakian fans: would they like to have names shouted at them?
Clifton Junior School, England

Which is worse, taunts or violence?
Richard Murphy, Ireland

I fear that England's black football players may be starting a battle that they cannot win.

People have to understand that England is a unique country in its tolerance to other cultures and creeds. The level of political correctness in Britain is virtually unknown in most other parts of Europe, let alone the world.

Far from intending to be the flag bearer of countries who do not conform to the levels of political correctness that the UK has, I do think that zero tolerance against racism in the UK shelters black players to some degree from what goes on in the rest of the world.
Matt, UK

As a black football fan, I and many of my colleagues were appalled. Uefa need to start imposing severe penalties to football clubs, such as naming, shaming and banning racist fans for life.

Fining clubs is just a slap on the wrist and does not prove anything. We don't have a chip on our shoulders, but I wouldn't feel safe in that kind of atmosphere.
John, England

I don't agree with the argument that we cannot expect countries in Eastern Europe, where people have never seen a black person, to have the same views and values as ourselves. Read the history books. These countries should know a thing or two about oppression, after years of Communist rule.

It just boils down to basic intolerance and racism. I am a Nigerian and my father studied in Moscow during the '60s.He was generally treated with respect by the Russians, who were happy to help strangers in their country.

Let's not make these excuses. Countries in any region which allow their supporters to behave like the Slovakians on Saturday must be kicked out of the tournaments until they tackle the problem head on.
Andrew O, Aberdeen, Scotland

The action must be aimed at the clubs. But it shouldn't all be negative action. The FA should help the clubs to combat these problems with professional help from police with video equipment and criminal photo files.

Many clubs cannot afford to fight racism without financial help for these additional resources - money should not be a reason why a club cannot clean up its crowd.

Threats of banning clubs is not the answer - many of these idiots are not real fans, and they will simply move on to another team to shout abuse.
Brownie, UK

Assuming that most of these bigots occupy the cheap seats, so why can't a mixture of plain-clothed AND uniformed police watch the game seated amongst the crowd in these areas instead of sitting facing thousands in case of the rare pitch invasion.

They'll have radios and can call for a team of bobbies to come and remove the main instigators, who will face a wall of 'tipped-off' tabloid snappers before being arrested and fined a legal minimum of, say, a grand under 'hooliganism' law.

Clubs should be responsible for paying for it, either via a system where all clubs contribute to the scheme, or whereby the individual club's record is the dictating force.

Failing that, I suggest that the press stop giving the problem so much publicity and the players (black and white) do their best to counteract the abuse by celebrating monkey style - even using bananas as props.

Racism is taboo - that's the appeal for the small brained. These same people are the kind who think that having black friends, etc means they can't possibly be racist.
Dean Heath, France

As Tony of Exeter said, there is a learning process involved for all countries - we are 120 years down the line and still learning. Just five years ago at Wembley, there were racist chants not against the other team but against the security staff. Let's be careful - stones and glasshouses come to mind.

Yes, what happened at the weekend was sad and steps at governmental level need to be taken, so that the education of their nation can begin. Carrot and stick policies to encourage and persuade that there is an alternative.
Mervyn Jones, England

There seems to be an awful lot of double standards in football these days - none more so than the recent row over racism in football. Of course the behaviour of the Slovakia fans was disgraceful, but I've heard just as bad at England matches.

The 'ban Slovakia from football' brigade should ask how many teams would be left to compete if we threw out all nations with racist fans. It is a social problem which manifests itself in football - football is not the cause.

And whilst I'm talking about double standards - Sven-Goran Eriksson criticising the Slovakians!! Wasn't it him who picked Lee Bowyer last month? Hardly the greatest gesture for racial equality in international football.
Laurie Knox, UK

Jez, the use of anti-IRA slogans by extreme right-wing organisations such as the NF and BNP has been widely reported over the years. To fail to see the connection between this and the racism that these groups thrive on is, to say the least, a bit short sighted.

As a Scot and a Glasgow Celtic supporter, I am glad to see that there are moves to get rid of this sectarian bigotry from our game. It shouldn't be ignored in the English game either.
James, UK

I was in Bratislava Friday evening returning from a week's work there. I would've stayed for the match, but couldn't get a ticket as they were only available from the England Fans Club.

There were some England fans at the station looking lost and threatened. They were shouting abuse, with all around tut-tutting. OK, so they shouldn't have been abusive, but from their point they were in a strange land with a totally non-English language.

There was absolutely no help, no one from the English Fans Club, no English signs, nothing. No attempts whatsoever to make their visit easy. No wonder they felt threatened, no wonder they lashed out. Seems to me this approach is just asking for trouble. Ignorance of others' culture is to my mind the fuel of racism.
Susie, UK

Any form of racism is intolerable, whether on the football field or on the streets. There is no excuse. If the fans are in the stadium, then the host country is responsible to make sure that any trouble is dealt with appropriately.

Therefore, if the racist chants aren't stopped, then the host country is guilty of not dealing with it and should have a points deduction. I find it difficult to accept racism as part of the game.
Raj Logan, Switzerland

Racists and racism should be dealt with unilaterally and severely. There are no ifs and buts. Racism is a sickness, rooted in ignorance and has no place in civilized society.

Do we allow child molesters and rapist to walk around expressing themselves through their actions? Racists are the same...it is time to stop all this soft pedalling and eradicate the problem once and for all.
James, Essex

The bomb blast in Bali just about puts things in perspective, and how much racism is a trivial matter. People have lost loved ones and yet Emile Heskey is whinging about a minority of morons calling him names because he is black. Grow up!

Not to mention the double standards. What about the way white farmers are treated in Zimbabwe? The Oldham pensioner? Ever since the PC brigade declared every race apart from whites are a victim group, whites are the most oppressed race in the history. We are supposed to be an inclusive society. If so, eliminate these victim group statuses.
Red Kev, England

As an England and Liverpool fan I have to admit that I have never attended any football matches, as I feel I would be treated differently as I am Asian. It pains me that I can't go to watch a match without fearing for myself.

Also, I would like to praise Emile Heskey for his professional behaviour as well for his performance when faced with such disturbing and horrific gestures from the crowd.

I feel it's time that ethnic minorities boycott the matches, fans as well as the players - the world will only then take any notice of this prolonged abuse that we are faced with day in day out.
Obaydullah, England

I have never been to a football match in the UK because I do not want to risk being jumped on simply for being there. If there wasn't the chants, then there'd be something else that these so-called fans would do. These people who shout abuse and start fights are not fans in any sense of the word.

Attitudes need to change at home, certainly, and more could be done in schools to help develop a non-antagonistic view. One thing that racists need to be aware of is the fact that there is only one race - 'the human race'. Accept it and start being human, accepting those around you as equals, not as beings from another planet!!
Malcolm C, UK

Having read some of the comments on here I have come to the realisation that black footballers need to create their own Black Footballers Union throughout Europe. It's ridiculous to even suggest that anyone should just take that abuse.

How much they earn is of no relevance. Tell that to the London U-16 school team that were kept holed up in a hotel room on a tour in Europe due to fascist elements attacking them.

No one can or should suggest that I, as a black man, do not have the right to be treated as anyone else no matter where I go. We are a people with pride, and as people we refuse to accept this any longer.

The black players need to make a stand to say that if Uefa or Fifa don't do enough (play games behind closed doors if necessary - hurts the fans AND the ineffectual clubs) then they will strike, and see how European football would really be like without that talent. Is that what you want? 'Cos that's what you'll get.
Desy, London, England

Fans are resorting to racist chanting whenever an English side (club or country) are playing in Europe (e.g. Arsenal at PSV, England at Slovakia). It is an extremely pathetic way of trying to unsettle the opposition.

There are black players playing for countries like Poland, yet the racist chants continue. Those fans who resort to such behaviour are absolute morons.
Mitesh Shah, England

I read a report by an England fan at Saturday's game and he said that the only racist abuse he heard during the game came from some meatheads in the England end shouting all sorts at Heskey.

Given the trouble the English hooligans went on to cause, I think its a bit rich to talk of banning Slovakians from the game in England. Slovakia has to sort out its racists. The FA has its own problems at home, and should be careful about sounding too pious on this one.
Peter Moore, Scotland

It would be unfair to fine or take points away from Slovakia. Fans should be ejected from the ground, fined and banned. Slovakia should be given a formal warning that if the above does not happen in future games then they will not be allowed to enter the next tournament.

This is what should be done for all clubs/national teams where racism/crowd trouble is a problem.
Aqbal, England

What is worse? Some stupid fans booing some players, or some fans trying to break through the wall to fight with opposing fans?
Martin, Slovakia

I totally condemn this behaviour. But before we all take the moral high ground, we must remember that this is no worse than the sickening sectarianism that blights the Scottish game or the disgusting anti-Semitic songs that accompany away fans at Tottenham.
Chezza, UK

A couple comments from this column dismissed that there ever was any racist chanting on the grounds in question - with this ignorant attitude, it is no wonder that there is such chanting occurring.

There is a difference between booing you for being a member of the opposition, and bellowing monkey chants as soon as a black player touches the ball - that is, simply, racism.

The English FA may say that this does not occur in England, but there is still that element within the crowds. As an Asian, this is extremely intimidating, which means I just do not want to attend any football matches - I'd rather watch from my armchair.

At least in England, there is a campaign to Kick Racism Out of Football - this needs to be extended to Europe also.
Sukhy, England

Whilst not condoning the actions of the English fans, I cannot see how Paul Smith can equate a chant of "No Surrender to the IRA", a paramilitary organisation that brings misery to everyone, with racialist chants against black people.
Jez, UK

Hang on a minute...Didn't the same sort of thing happen to in England when the first black players started coming through the ranks of professional football? Does the same sort of thing not still happen at certain lower division British clubs, particularly at those with terracing?

Also, has this not been happening at European grounds throughout the nineties up to the present day? I remember Cole and Yorke getting some fearful abuse when playing for Man United in Europe over the last few years.

As a black person, I find it strange that everyone (including Arsene Wenger) has only just opened their ears and noticed this season. Everyone seemed to turn a blind eye until now. Why has it taken so long to notice these things?

Remember also that this sort of thing happens in areas where not too many black people live, just like how it started in the UK. The reason why it doesn't happen so much in English grounds anymore is because people will be thrown out of the ground, not because they are no longer racist.
Colin Morris, England

I attended a Division Two Nationwide League game last year, where sections of the crowd were shouting constant and severe racist abuse at black players. When I alerted stewards to what was happening and who the perpretrators were (several times), I was told that the men would not be ejected as it 'might start a riot by home fans'.

These men were allowed to sit in their seats shouting the foulest and most offensive language throughout the match and no one, including the men, women and children sat near them, did a thing about it.

I complained to the club, who said their policy was not to eject supporters as in the past it has caused riots and crowd trouble. I was told that video surveillance would pick the men up and they would not be allowed back into the ground in the future. I know that this is not the case, my partner has since seen the same men in the ground.

I no longer attend football matches now as I find the atmosphere following that incident tense, threatening, offensive and disturbing. I can only hope that no black football supporter has to hear that sort of abuse and sit through it, I found it deeply distressing and upsetting, and I am white.
Georgina, UK

I'm from Slovakia. I'm truly sorry for the incidents that happened here. I wish people abroad wouldn't consider us all in the light of these primitive acts.

I think we deserve the sanctions, it will be fair if we'll get them. But I need to say that most of us do not agree with shooting unarmed people in the pub, or primitive racism in the crowds. Honestly, I fully agree, it's our shame. But don't generalize, please. Most of us are truly sorry, we reject racism and violence.
Maros P, Slovakia

As someone who lives in the region and has visited many countries that have a similar problem - Russia, Slovakia, Macedonia, Hungary - I agree with the comments of Tony from Exeter.

I do not condone racism in any form - but people must realise that foreign societies are very different. If you walk around Prague, Bratislava or Moscow and see more than two or three black people in a day than I would be amazed.

It took time for UK society to become tolerant and it will take time for other societies to as well. I believe Uefa and Fifa should take steps, but you cannot punish a country's FA because of the inbuilt opinions of its people.

The UK society has progressed in this area, and we would all like racism to be erased - but we cannot expect countries where people have often never seen a black person in the street to have the same views and values as ourselves.
James, Czech Republic

People in the crowed should be filmed and then a heavy jail sentence should apply. The fines to clubs should be no less then �500,000, otherwise it's a joke.
ZC, UK

Chanting during football games has nothing to do with racism. The home crowd has every right to use sounds to disturb the opponent.

It is sad that English teams are always seeking the advantage in a non-sporting manner off the pitch, such as preventing other sides from playing in front of the home crowd or making them losing points because the audience made sound "A" or "B".

For a salary of millions of Euros per year, I would be more than ready to stand hearing this or that sound directed to me for several minutes per week, and I would be sure that it has nothing to do with racism.
Veliki Medo, European Union

People in England are calling for Slovakia to be banned in their tournament. Can we see double standards here? First of all, the trouble in the stadium was started by the English! What should the police have done - let them?

The players were shouted at as soon as they touched the ball, not because they were black - they whistle at Beckham all the time, fans do that everywhere. There were few stupid morons that shouted racial abuse, so they should be punished, not the whole nation.

Eriksson is comparing the Slovakian match with Brussels, where 79 people, if I am not mistaken, died. Is that fair for him to say that? If you want Slovakia to be banned, should England be allowed to play? Look at all the trouble they have caused so far.

In Vienna and Prague, English fans were arrested for demolishing the lap dance bar an in Vienna, they broke windows and cars and are still in custody. These incidents happened before and after the match, as the fans were travelling to and from Bratislava.
L Newman, London

The only thing that anyone will take seriously is to disqualify the team from the competition. Then it would stop.
Ben Kay, Bangladesh

There is never an excuse for what the Slovakian fans did. But why didn't the English players do anything? If they had been my colleagues I would have refused to continue the game.

Uefa would have fined England, but the point would have been made in defence of my black friends, and the game of football would have been proved to be just a game and nothing more.

England's players also didn't stop to protest about their own fans' disgusting behaviour everywhere in the Czech Rep and in Slovakia. They also lost pathetically before the semi-finals in the World Cup but came home as heroes.

There is no pride or self-respect in the England team or in their fans. To stamp out racism you have to lead by example, not sit around crying afterwards. They should have stopped playing. Full stop.
Christopher, Brazil

Why were PSV fined? They didn't direct the racist abuse, the idiots in the crowd did. And please, if we are going to fine clubs, make it a fine worth the bother. �13,000!? That's peanuts to any reasonably large club, never mind PSV.

I think that clubs whose fans direct racist abuse should have to play their home games in Europe without fans, ie. in a closed stadium for the rest of the season, until they learn not to.
Jack Tommony, England

As a black Englishman, I was sickened by the abuse aimed at the black England players during the game. I was further saddened by the fact that at no time did John Motson or Trevor Brooking make any reference to the blatent racist abuse while the violence in the terraces was commented on immediately.

Are we to take it that they find this sort of disgusting behaviour acceptable? I'd quite like to hear their excuses. Thank goodness for the Radio Five Live team who rightly condemned it in the strongest terms.
Mike Ramsey, UK

Terry Butcher made one very intelligent comment: The problem in Slovakia is not racism, it's ignorance. England was a 'racist' country up until the 1970s and just because we now live in a society where (allegedly) everyone is treated equally we should not condemn societies who often have had no contact with people of other races.

It's a learning process: in England we're at one end of the scale, in Slovakia people are at the other end. It should be a question of educating and not condemning. Their bad behaviour does not take away from the fact that, yet again, we English were the most disgracefully behaved.
Tony, Exeter, UK

Unfortunately, Fifa and Uefa lack the guts to dock points and ban clubs. Pity, because it's probably the only way to stamp out racism. Germany's Gerald Asimoah suffered the same thing on Friday in the friendly against Bosnia.

You'd think people in that region would have learnt the lessons of racism. I just despair at some people's ignorance at times.
Simon, Germany

Shouting abuse at people due to the colour of their skin is disgusting and those who shout abuse should be ejected from the ground and banned for life. If the clubs/national associations are unwilling to do this then governing bodies such as Fifa and Uefa should punish them heavily until they get their act together.

The various reports highlight the disgusting abuse of black players by certain Slovakian supporters and they should be condemned. However, what about the English fans who clearly sang "No Surrender to the IRA?" They should also be ashamed of themselves.
Paul Smith, England

Not for the first time I was disgusted not only by the constant barrage of racist chanting, but by the disgraceful failure of the commentators to make any critical comment about the chanting.
John Drinkwell, UK

Racism on the football pitch could quite easily be dealt with by making the clubs/countries suffer with points. Badly behaved fans could lose championships and qualifications for the teams they support. If only there was such a simple solution to racism in society as a whole.
Christine, UK

Countries who are found to be repeatedly racist should threatened with suspension. That way the fans know that if they do it again their team are out. Then they can have NO complaints.
Jack, England

There is, and never will be, any excuse for verbal or physical abuse based on the colour of a person's skin or country of origin. In the same vein there is no excuse for the mindless chanting and booing that the English fans have taken part in during the playing of the opposition's national anthems.
Neil Ruthven, England

Points deduction and financial penalties. If that doesn't work then players and managers should have the right to withdraw themselves and their teams from a match as racism occurs. It simply is totally out of order and ruins the whole thing for everyone.
Paul, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Racism has no place in today's society. Slovakia and its football fans should be punished for their racist actions.
Frank Pereira, Canada

The fines dished out by Uefa were pathetically low. PSV aren't going to care about �13,000. I would advocate much larger fines to make clubs take action.
Mike, UK

As a black Spurs fan, I am sick to death of the hand wringing that always acompanies this issue. The solution is very simple: if a club's fans chant racist abuse, the club is docked the same amount of points that would be gained if they had won the match (three points).

It is only when the vast majority of good fans are able to put pressure on these racist vermin that it will stop. Such pressure will only come about when fans realise that their behaviour is detrimental to the club.
Z, UK

I totally condemn racism and anyone who is involved in this sort of behaviour is a coward. After recent matches in which English black players have been discriminated against, the need for action is more desperate.

I believe anyone who participates in this should be banned from watching football permanently and the club should face a point deduction, depending on the amount of racism used.
Mohammed Bin Shehri, USA