FIFA offical: Better strategy needed to fight racism at ’18 World Cup

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Splits in FIFA’s strategy to fight discrimination at the World Cup have been exposed after reported fan incidents were not punished.

FIFA’s racism task force chairman Jeffrey Webb says there is a “disconnect” between his group and FIFA’s disciplinary committee.

Webb says a better strategy is needed at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, which has a reputation for racial abuse at matches.

He says that Russia “needs a special task force just for Russia from an educational standpoint.”

In Brazil, Webb says there was “absolutely no reason” not to have trained monitors gathering evidence at stadiums.

The task force had “identified this as one of our top priorities,” Webb says, at a briefing with disciplinary chairman Claudio Sulser.

Sulser says sanctions aren’t possible if no specific player is insulted.