(Files) FIFA’s President Gianni Infantino waves to the press next to AFA’s President Claudio Tapia and CONMEBOL’s President Alejandro Dominguez (not in frame) at Argentine Football Assosiation (AFA) headquarters in Buenos Aires on October 4, 2017. JUAN MABROMATA / AFP
FIFA President Gianni Infantino vowed on Monday to crack down hard on racist incidents when Russia hosts the World Cup next year.
“This is a very high priority and we will make sure no incidents will happen,” Infantino said in a video statement.
“It is absolutely not tolerable and we will be very, very firm on that, so we can expect fair play in Russia.”
Racism became especially pronounced in Russian football with the influx of foreign players that occurred after the Iron Curtain fell and the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.
Brazilian striker Hulk said he heard monkey chants at “almost every match” when he led Zenit Saint Petersburg to a title and two second-place finishes between 2012 and 2016.
FIFA Won’t Tolerate Racism At Russia’s World Cup, Infantino Warns
