How can we make football a better reflection of society's racial diversity?

BBC Sport Online's investigation reveals racism in some parts of European football is rife.

Good progress is being made in North Western Europe, but there's a lot more left to be tackled.

What are your experiences of racism in football? Have things improved in recent months or not?

Tell us what you think should be done.

Clubs found guilty of having fans who chant and sing racist songs at opposition players should, if in a European competition, should be banned from that year's competition and from the next three Uefa competitions they become eligible to enter.

Racism will not be eradicated in England while the clubs and the stewards do not take it seriously and continue to become deaf and blind when it happens just rows away from them.

As a Chelsea fan I am disappointed that the club allowed the NF to sell its newspapers inside the ground in the late 70s and 80s, and tolerated an openly racist element within the club.

That element is still there and shows itself especially at away grounds and still nothing is done by the police or stewards at those grounds as well. So bad stewarding is not just a Chelsea problem, it appears to be the same everywhere.

I am surprised that the black Chelsea fan said that the Shed was an OK place to be in the 80s. As a white non-racist fan who stood in the Shed during that time I felt intimidated and sickened by the racists who were in there.

These were the same "loyal" Chelsea fans who would wait and see if Paul Cannoville, our only black player in the 80s, was picked to play before deciding whether to go in and watch the game.
Trevor, Britain

I play university ice hockey and our arch-rivals are a mostly-minority college from the next town. While playing, I constantly hear racist insults hurled my direction. The best way to deal with them? IGNORE THEM AND SCORE GOALS.

Fans yell things hoping to distract you from the game and force a poor performance. I've never heard one foul word while I was celebrating a goal. Try it sometime, Emile.
Grant, United States of America

Racism is repugnant in all its forms, but what I find more repugnant is the uneducated use of foul and abusive language. I find it embarrassing and demeaning, and it appears that the perpetrators have no shame at all.

It has got so bad now that it has spread from the overpaid foul mouthed morons on the field of play and now the crowd are joining in. It is just as obnoxious as racism but nobody does anything about it. Chairmen, managers, players, officials and administrators, hang your head in shame.
Brian

I've been a Charlton fan for many years, and we as a club has been kicking off the anti-racism campaign for about 10 years now. But most people think racism is outside Britain. Well I've been to lower division grounds, and I have heard a lot of racist chants.

We need to sort our own domestic problems first before saying to Uefa we need to do something about racism in other countries. Lower league clubs needs to get some financial help from the FA so they can install CCTV around the grounds, once that has been put into place and we get rid of the idiots, then we can put an appeal to tackle racism in other countries.

I just also like to say well done to Charlton for its anti-racism campaign, and their community work outside the football ground.
Jason, UK

The way to deal with the problem is education not bans or fines.
Al, UK

Fine the offending club �110,000 and give �10,000 to each man in the team suffering the abuse. This would soon ensure that clubs curb the 'animal' element in their supporters.
Mal Walker, Australia

All the clubs in Britain and Europe should follow Arsenals example. I have been going Arsenal for nearly 20 years not only do we have a vast mix of races at any game home and away, but I have never heard an Arsenal fan abuse an opposition player because of his colour.

I think this stems back to the '70s when unlike other British clubs, Arsenal fans refused to be influenced by the far right fascist group The National Front.
Frank, Ex-pat in Sydney Aus

You should have opened your ears over the last few years when European football has been televised regularly on BBC, ITV and Channel 4 and heard the constant monkey chants and booing of black players, as well as the holding up the Southern States flag to English black players in Spain.

Of course all this has been ignored, as football in recent years has been seen as a cash cow by broadcasting companies that are happy to give the image that all of football's bad days are behind them.

It is about time that the problems across Europe of racism and hooliganism within football were properly examined. It should be shown that hooliganism is not simply the 'English problem'; in fact English football has probably made the most progress that most European nations in recent years.
Ben Hughes, UK

So far, the anti-racist movement has been very disorganised and poorly supported - a paltry fine here; a wee bit of media coverage. The sense of outrage is not evident enough. The sense of an institution-wide movement is not there. For example, has David Beckham been recruited to campaign against racism? That would be the obvious course of action, but it has not been taken yet.

Fifa, Uefa and all national bodies must get their act together; start dishing out real punishments for offenders and send out clear signals. Clubs must lodge official complaints without which action cannot be taken. They must protect their players. Players have been speaking out, but what about coaches and chairmen? They have been rather quiet. There is much to be done at all levels.
Anthony Tan, Singapore

Being black myself, I can honestly say I've never heard any racist abuse from Tottenham fans in the 25 years I have been going to White Hart Lane. I do, however hear abuse from other teams' fans and this makes me sad.
Hedley L, London, UK

I am black and attend football matches in England and Scotland. I follow Arsenal, Glasgow Rangers and Millwall. Racism at football in the UK has become less of problem for black players and supporters, but some of my white friends still have an issue with Pakistani/Indian supporters.

I believe the only way forward is for more black and asian fans to go to games.
Gerrard Fagbemi, London, England

Let me first announce my origins - I am a black African, born and raised in England. As far as I am concerned all this recent fuss over racism in football is ridiculous.

Anyone who has ever attended a race relations discussion will tell you that "racism" is defined as "prejudice" plus the "power" to exercise that prejudice. On the football field I just do not see how a bunch of overgrown idiots do that by making monkey noises.

As a Chelsea shed regular in the mid 80's I noticed that fans would pick on anything about the opposing players. Being black makes it easier to be picked on, but the case of Cantona shows that fans will use anything to emphasize the difference between their team and the visitors.

If we really want to tackle racism, start in the classroom!
Frank, Aruba

The BBC Online reporters should go to watch Glasgow Rangers if they want to hear racism in Britain.
Andrew, Scotland

You missed Spain off that list - just ask Real's Roberto Carlos what he hears every time he plays against Barcelona at the Nou Camp. Or ask any black Chelsea players about the abuse they received at the same stadium in the champion's league a couple of years ago.

I was there, and I couldn't believe my ears - whole families including women and children were making monkey noises throughout both games.
Simon, England

One of the things I would like to do before I die was to come to England and see a Premiership football match live, sitting in the stands soaking up the atmosphere, the chants, the singing, the energy - but now I am scared to do just that.

I cannot imagine sitting there listening to raciest chants and abuse, I am sorry, but being black that's the last place I would want to be.
Andre, Jamaica

Racism is a sign of weakness, its expression is a sign of ignorance. The racist is a social misfit who disqualifies himself from honest competition by exposing his fatal handicap.

Racism is the hallmark of the loser. The racist separates himself from the race of men, he excludes himself from society, and he can only be allowed on the field of play as an act of charity.
Mark P, USA

There have been a couple of comments about not having 'faces of colour at football grounds in the UK'... I don't think that is true. I think in England, and probably more so in London, you have such a mix of religions and colour, that everyone goes to football for the same thing - to support their club.

I have never personally been to a match in Italy or Holland, but I know people from each country and they don't come across as racist people. But then you only need one person shouting abuse to a player to cause a commotion (i.e. Eric Cantona at Crystal Palace).

It is upsetting to see, and nobody should be judged by the colour of their skin, or the accent with which they speak.
Gary, UK

I'm living in a country that consists of different races, cultures and religions. We live harmony with respect and dignity. We respect each other. I'm quite shocked that the European communities, which I thought so highly educated, are a step behind compared to Asian countries.

I just hope that the condition will keep improving after more and more Asian and African players play in the European leagues. I can't understand why we should differentiate people by their skin instead of their abilities.

Pele is a black player and he plays well. That's all I and football spectators want. Watching a beautiful football match, rather than being concerned about the people playing. Those who abuse players and practice racism should be prohibited from the stadium, and the club should be fined and banned from European competition.
Chun Yeow, Malaysia

England did nothing about their football violence problem until they were thrown out of Europe for a few years. If Uefa did the same to the clubs with a history of racist fans, things would soon improve.
Neil, USA

How selective our vision is. The opportunity to see/hear racism at football in Europe is to attend any Celtic v Rangers game to see some real bigots in action.
Jay Walsh, England

I was at the Forest v Leicester game and large sections of Forest fans were singing racist chants directed at Leicester fans and players. I was disgusted. I was rather surprised too, given that Forest have a number of black players.

There was a particular idiot who was doing Indian waiter impressions and throwing bars of chocolate at the Leicester players. Animals like that need locking up!
Nick, Leicester, UK

There needs to be more involvement from ethnic minorities at all levels of football - from coaching, management to administration. Racism within football will not go away unless all people involved in football come together.

It may mean banning a club for a season or fining them a substantial amount of money, or even playing all their home games behind locked doors. Something needs to happen, and the club chairmen and the football authorities need to start sorting this out.
Trevor Walters, England

Like every other social problem, you cannot expect to legislate a solution. Time is the only solution to this problem - as more players of different cultural backgrounds play together, the problem will hopefully take care of itself.
Chris, USA

The answer lies in education. As a lecturer on BTEC National Sport I teach sport in society, and discuss the issues raised. But how do we go about getting people to visit and discuss issues raised in regards to racism in football?

It is very hard finding someone 'connected' within the game to come and speak. Likewise, there seems to be a lack of "sporting documentaries" shown concerning such issues.
G Mason, England

We all agree that racism in football is a bad thing, but we shouldn't exaggerate the problem. In Holland for example it only has happened once and it was at PSV v Arsenal.

I agree this was a terrible scene, but to say that PSV supporters have a history of racism is not true. I think the only reason it happened was because of the humiliation of PSV on the pitch (0-4) and supporters thought they had to do something.

Clearly this is no excuse, but when the great Ajax side from the nineties with players like Kluivert, Davids and Seedorf was treated the same way in every away game, I heard nobody in England complain. So let's be fair, don't give a club like PSV a bad name which they don't deserve!
Remko Westra, Holland

Going to Palace and Millwall for 10 years, I have never experienced any racism from any teams. Yes, players get abused, but not because they are black. English football has kicked racism out. I think that Fifa should concentrate on the European teams. Italy and Holland are the worst.

White, black, yellow, pink, blue, who cares? Let's all play together and forget about colour and think about ability and quality.
Chris, S London

I think there are a number of ways that the problem of racism in football can be tackled.

1. Have plain clothes police in the stands to identify racists and eject them from the ground.
2. Managers and players from both sides should walk off the pitch in protest and not play until the chanting/abuse stops.

3. An anti-racist anthem or message could be relayed on the loudspeakers at the start of a game.
4. An anti-racism lapel could be sewn on all new kit - that would make the message clearer and prominent. You'd know who the racists were as they'd probably refuse to wear the lapel.
Hardeep Mann, United Kingdom

Before the BBC or any other member of the media starts looking abroad, they should really start to ask why there are virtually no faces of colour at football grounds in the UK.

Racial abuse, coupled with abuse of other minority groups, such as the disabled, has always been rife in British football grounds and as far as I can see, the FA, the Premier clubs and the police have made no real effort to combat the problem.

So let's put our house in order first before we start pointing the finger at other nations.
Bob K, Germany

I don't believe there is much the clubs can do. I think racism is the fault of the society we live in. Society as a whole needs to make a stance, not the football clubs. What is the point in banning fans? They won't be at the football, but they'll still be racist, so that clearly doesn't change anything.

Moreover, I would guess that most of the people who chant racist songs are not really racist, but they merely want to intimidate the opposition.

Another example is the chanting of the Dambuster song, in games against Germany. Nobody seems to care about that. Is this because Germans are not black?
Silvio, UK/Germany

I think it is ridiculous to assume that racism is a just a mainland European problem - British clubs are as much to blame. Any Saturday there are racist chants and Nazi salutes, in and around the grounds. All this is caught on stadium cameras, yet nothing is done about it.

But trust the British media for pointing fingers at others before sorting their own business out first. If Eastern European clubs are ignorant, how bad does that make us Brits; we know what we are doing, we are not ignorant.
Ad, Britain

I was at Anfield on Saturday. Every time Robbie Keane got the ball, a man in front of me shouted and swore abuse at him, in relation to him being Irish.

I am Irish, and was at the match as a guest of an English friend. Both of us were very embarrassed, and disgusted. The man making the comments was a season ticket-holder...
Mr J Fisher

Well, one step would be punitive measures against clubs with racist fans, eg PSV Eindhoven. I hardly think that even an increased fine of �23,000 is a problem to them. That's probably two days' wages for one of their star players. How about �2.3 million pounds. That might make them act.
Ian, UK

Racism is a social problem that should be dealt with socially, and not in stadiums or on the pitch. Football officials can't do much to fight it. I don't even think it could be solved.

Why would it be OK for supporters to be racists privately and not in public? Why would it be OK to curse other ethnic groups in pubs and not in stadiums? The football officials shouldn't get their hopes high about solving this problem, it is beyond their control.
Adam, Netherlands