England Fans Accused Of Racist Chants Against Own Players
SHUBERT: You're watching Connect the World live from London. Welcome back. I'm Atika Shubert. England's football association could face the embarrassment of its national team being forced to play behind closed doors if the country's fans are found guilty of racism. English supporters attending the side's World Cup qualifier in San Marino last Friday have been reported to the world governing body FIFA accused of racist chanting. Fans allegedly sang that brothers Rio and Anton Ferdinand should be burned on a bonfire. Rio controversially pulled out of England's squad before the game. And earlier he tweeted, quote, you expect an accept the banter from fans on the terraces as it's part of what makes the game great, but racism is not banter. And from your own fans? Wow. Now the football association says it has not found any recorded evidence from racist chanting, but will assist any FIFA investigation. We have Keir Radnedge. He is from World Soccer Magazine. And he joins me now live via Skype from London. So, in the starkest description this appears to be several white fans singing about burning two black men on a bonfire. That sounds pretty racist, you know, on the face of it, but there's more background to this, isn't there?</s>KEIR RADNEDGE, WORLD SOCCER MAGAZINE: Yes, it does sound racist on that basis. The problem that the FA have at the moment is two fold. Firstly, English organizations and the FA in particular have been extremely vehement in condemning racist chanting by opposing fans at matches they've played in Europe, so you know the FA in a sense has to try to be seen to be, you know, cleaner than clean. The second problem the FA has at the moment is that they haven't been able to come up with any recordings of the evidence of this particular racist chanting that's been alleged. So they're in a slightly odd position at the moment.</s>SHUBERT: It seems pretty incredible that a football player would hear this kind of thing from his own fans. And it wasn't just Rio. I mean, whatever the fans had against Rio, why bring his brother Anton into it as well?</s>RADNEDGE: Well, this a long story that goes back two years when there was an incident between Anton Ferdinand, Rio's younger brother, and an England player, John Terry of Chelsea, who is alleged to have made racist remarks to Anton. Rio, of course, supported Anton. There was a long controversy about it. And therefore the two are linked together. The really weird thing about this is that usually in incidents of racist chanting at players, it's usually the fans chanting at players of the opposing team. In this case, the allegation is England fans chanting about two of their own players and two of their own players who were not involved in the match, were not even in the San Marino, were not even in the country at that time.</s>SHUBERT: Sounds like the outcome of a long running feud essentially, but this could get very embarrassing, humiliating if in the end England is told, well, you have to play your match behind closed doors. Is that going to be enough to stop this kind of behavior in the future?</s>RADNEDGE: Well, I mean, this business about racist chanting, discrimination and so on. I mean, obviously it's not solely a problem for football, it's a society problem. And football has to try to take action within its own parameters. Obviously, if England get banned for a match or whatever from -- closed door match, then that would be embarrassing. But I think all in all it's best that the particular issue is out in front, that it's dealt with and that the authorities are seen to be tough, because then hopefully the message in the end will get over.</s>SHUBERT: Definitely. Well, thank you very much. That's Keir Radnedge for us at World Soccer Magazine. Thank you. If England's fans are found guilty and the side is forced to play a World Cup Qualifier behind closed doors, well I wouldn't be the first time that football's governing body has come down hard on allegations of racism. Just last Friday, riot police squared off with Hungarian fans in Budapest after they were locked out of the national side's showdown against Romania. The lockout was punishment for racist abuse from supporters at a game last year. On the same day, Bulgaria was also forced to play its qualifier against Malta in an empty stadium after their fans were found guilty of making monkey chants. The latest world news headlines just ahead. Plus, we'll go live to Rome for more on Pope Francis' first Good Friday ceremony as pontiff. And troubles in Texas. Rory McIlroy struggles to reclaim his world number one ranking at the Houston Open. And finally, introducing the cat nab. If you've ever wondered what your kitty has been up to while out and about, well this one is for you.