As the battle between Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling and the National Basketball Association over the latter's punishment for the racist comments the team owner had made in a leaked audio recording continues, a FIFA official is calling for the same provisions in the world soccer body's bylaws to address similar situations involving football teams.
Football's governing body vice president Jeffrey Webb appeared to be keen on following the NBA's lead and suggests that FIFA should have the same measures, BBC News said.
"We must have a zero tolerance. I'm clearly hoping that FIFA is going to make a stand and our disciplinary bodies and individuals are going to make the tough decisions and stop talking and start taking action."
Webb is referring to the sports league's punishment of Sterling, which entails a lifetime ban from the NBA and a maximum fine of $2.5 million (£1.5 million) following the publishing of an audio recording of he and his girlfriend about blacks, and at one point, about NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson.
Webb, who is also the president of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, disclosed his belief that the FIFA has not done enought at a national and regional level following the adoption after it has adopted supposedly more tougher rules over racism and anti-discrimination last year.
Commending the NBA on its stance against racism Webb said, "The NBA set a new standard and I applaud them. They made a swift and concise decision - we need to do the same... We've got to get the national associations and confederations around the world to start implementing [harsher penalties]. They really haven't started implementing them. The level of fines we still continue to see are not really going to have an impact."
He also stressed the importance of not losing sight of why FIFA has created processes to curb racism. He said, "The credibility of the game is very important. It's paramount. And we cannot afford to lose the credibility or integrity of Fifa, whatever it takes to restore that and to turn that around."
