Rio and Anton Ferdinand have
criticised England's football
authorities for not doing enough to
combat racism, arguing "deep
divisions" have been exposed.
However, in a joint statement, the
brothers appeared to dismiss the idea
of a breakaway body to combat racism.
They said they are "committed to
working with football's existing
organisations" to address problems.
Their statement came just over a year
after John Terry racially abused Anton
in a Premier League game last October.
Terry was eventually banned for four
games by the Football Association after
the Chelsea defender was initially
cleared of wrongdoing in court earlier
this year.
Several leading Premier League players,
including the Ferdinand brothers,
refused to wear T-shirts supporting the
anti-racism group Kick It Out at the
weekend over a perceived lack of action.
But the Ferdinands and other black
players are also unhappy with the FA
and the Professional Footballers'
Association.
There has even been talk about the
formation of a black footballers'
association.
"It has been a year since the incident at
Loftus Road," read a statement from
the Ferdinands issued on Wednesday.
"During that time, some of the deep
divisions that exist in football have been
exposed.
"In the coming months, there will be
ongoing discussions, we are sure, on
finding a way forward. We intend to
participate in these discussions, along
with numerous other current and ex-
professionals of all races, from the
grassroots upwards, across the football
community as a whole.
"On the issue of Kick It Out, we would
like to go on record to say what
fantastic work they have done in the
past regarding education and
awareness.
"However, times change and
organisations need to change with
them. We are more than happy to join
the discussion, privately, to make Kick It
Out more relevant in its fight to stamp
out racism in football.
"Although we have been left
disappointed by the PFA and the FA's
actions over the last year, as a family,
we are committed to working with
football's existing organisations towards
the betterment of the game and to
achieve immediate action."
Gordon Taylor, chief executive of PFA,
told the BBC that he welcomed the
statement, adding that he would be
"very happy to involve" the Ferdinands
in future discussions.
He also pointed out that his
organisation had already issued a six-
point action plan to deal with racisim.
Kick It Out released its own statement,
acknowledging the "hurt that many
people have gone through over the last
12 months, none more so than the
Ferdinand family themselves".
The statement continued: "We will
continue to work across the
campaigning and diversity agenda with
all partners to ensure the grievances of
players are concluded fairly, thoroughly
and swiftly."
Meanwhile, Taylor says Chelsea have
sent the wrong message on racism by
allowing Terry to keep the captain's
armband.
The defender was fined £220,000 and
banned for four domestic matches for
the incident involving Anton Ferdinand
at Loftus Road last year.
The FA panel's ruling came after Terry
was cleared by magistrates of racially
abusing the QPR player.
Taylor said: "Terry remaining Chelsea
captain sends out the wrong message
to people who've been on the receiving
end of abuse in no matter of what
context.
"Clubs take racism seriously. Nobody
wants to be accused of being racist,
nobody wants to be accused of using
racist language, so at times you get
clubs denying, and pulling the wagons
round.
"To some extent that has exacerbated
the problem. We have to be big enough
to accept what's happened, to make a
full apology quickly, to learn from it, to
have the awareness programmes and
to move on as a club.
"It's not just the players - we need the
managers, the coaching staff, the board
of directors all to sign into that
programme of apologising,
reconciliation, moving forward and
being part of that."
Chelsea declined to comment, but have
previously said Terry was fined a club
record, without revealing the amount.
Bbc
