MILAN, April 1 (Reuters) - Messina defender Marc Zoro, who threatened to walk off the field after suffering racist abuse from Inter Milan fans earlier this season, was the target of whistles and jeers again when the two teams met on Saturday.


Zoro's treatment by Inter fans in the game at Messina on November 27 prompted a nationwide debate on racism in Italian soccer and led to a day of anti-racist demonstrations at stadium's across the country.


In Milan on Saturday Inter's hardcore 'ultras' in the North stand chanted against the Ivory Coast-born defender when he entered the field to warm up and taunted him whenever he touched the ball.

However as the game, won 3-0 by Inter, progressed other home supporters objected to the abuse by whistling every time the ultras began a chant against Zoro.

'I'm not happy,' Zoro told Italy's Sky Sport. 'As soon as I ran on to the field they shouted all sorts of things at me and you could hear what happened when I touched the ball -- I think it is a disgrace,' he said.

'It was good in the second half that part of the stadium didn't accept that behaviour, they are people who know football shouldn't be like that,' he added.

Zoro said he had received a positive reaction in most stadiums since his threat to halt the home game in November.

'I was applauded at Treviso and it has been fine in other grounds -- it is only here that I've had this problem again,' he said.

The Messina defender said he hoped the sport's world governing body FIFA would fulfil its plans to get tough on racism.

'I can't do anything about it, I just have to play the game. The fans have to realise what they are doing and I hope that FIFA carry out their plans,' he said.
Source: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...363612&cc=5901

LONDON -- Teams at the World Cup will be subject to FIFA's new anti-racism rules, which include a possible three-point penalty in the standings for misbehavior by fans.


FIFA's new rules took effect April 4 and will govern domestic competitions starting next season.


"The regulations will also be applied for this World Cup," FIFA president Sepp Blatter told Sky TV in an interview aired Tuesday. "At the first sign [of racism] there will be a deduction of three points, then we are finished with the problems of discrimination."


The measures for domestic leagues include a deduction of three points for a first offense, six for a second and relegation for a third. Fines can also be given to fans or officials for "any act or expression of a discriminatory and/or contemptuous nature."


Blatter said the FIFA Congress will discuss the matter when it meets before the World Cup opener in Munich, Germany, on June 9.


"We go now to the Congress in 45 to 50 days and then it will be by decision of the Congress ... to give FIFA the authority to intervene in case of non-application," he said.


Blatter also declined to join calls to bar Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from attending the tournament. Ahmadinejad has drawn criticism for labeling the Holocaust a myth and calling for Israel's destruction.


"If any head of state wants to travel to Germany, this is a matter to be dealt with by the German authorities and definitely not by FIFA," Blatter said. "I would be happy that any head of state would accompany his team and to be present in Germany."


Blatter was abrupt when asked about reports that 60,000 women from Eastern Europe would be trafficked into Germany for use in prostitution during the World Cup.


"We in FIFA, we are not responsible for the morality and the ethics of the whole population of the world," Blatter said. "We should go against gambling. We should go against drugs. We should go against religion. We should go against weapons, and so on. This is not our duty, our duty is football."
Source:http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...365265&cc=5901

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