Football's governing body today decided to announce a new system designed to change hearts and minds for supporters and fans, footballers and officials ,the media and the financial backers. The rule change applies to racism in a football match and threatens clubs thus:
1st Proven racist incident -3 points in the league
2nd proven racist incident -6 points in the league
3rd relegation

However it isn't clear if the incidents need to be in the same season (or ever?) . I imagine an incident would be either reported by an official or player or fan . I imagine an incident in UK would be investigated by the F.A or the Police?

Whilst I welcome this idea,the danger could be in 'pretend fans' trying to relegate a club (eg one club's fans going to a match and shouting racist comments or distributing racist leaflets whilst posing as a supporter of another club) Or a club at the bottom who is going down anyway suddenly attracting a lot of racist supporters.

The other question is one of freedom of speech. I don't suppose many people would think shouting racist comments or promoting racism with racist material etc is a good or decent thing there still remains the right to do this in a democracy. The law against stirring up racial hatred could apply I suppose? This is a much bigger question and society will deem what is or isn't acceptable.

If FIFA want to reach hearts and minds then persuasion is better than force. Hitting individuals who are racist or who are filmed behaving in a racist manner by banning them from matches and fining them would perhaps be more appropriate. I suppose ultimatly a club has the right to let who they like into their matches but are they responsible for fan's behaviour? If a fan deliberatly sets out to behave in this way then they should meet the full force of the law (bans from travelling, attending matches, being near the ground,etc)

I think that captains and referees have a big role to play. If racism is encountered in a match then the captain should inform the referee that the game is not being played acording to its spirit and take his side off for ten minutes. (or what ever time is deemed needed to solve the problem.) Fans would soon get the message. So would Fifa.

The FA need to draw up a list of what is and isn't acceptable (eg which noises, chants are not acceptable).
There also lies the question of discrimiation on terms of sexuality (fans shouting comments about player's or fan's sexuality) and religious discrimination (shouting comments about the players or fans religion) which both happen in the English game.

Where do we need to draw the line? Is a football chant/song with swearing or blashphamy with in it acceptable? What do you think? Some clubs have chats that are long established. Will political correctness consign them to history?

Take Charleton. 'Red red robin' could be communistic. Liverpool 'walk on' could be against disabled people.
West ham 'blowing bubbles ' is promotion of alcohol/drugs. I'm not saying I think like this, but where do we draw the line?

In the end will a supporter be someone who doesn't speak or express an opinion, but someone who justs sit on the terraces and waves the flag/rattle/banner?

In rugby,cricket,hockey,etc none of this happens, supporters sit together and there is rarely any violence,racism,etc. Why the problems in football?