Blatter calls for points deductions against 'offending' football clubs to fight racism

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has called for points deductions to be used in the fight against racism as he believes it would have more of an impact than making teams play behind closed doors.

The world football governing body's disciplinary code punishes racism by a warning for a first offence and then more serious sanctions such as stadium closures, points deductions or even expulsion from competitions for further offences.

According to the BBC, Blatter wants to see more sporting sanctions used in the fight against racism and he believes points deductions are the only effective punishment, adding that the sanctions have to cause the clubs 'real hurt' otherwise nothing will change.

Blatter further said that he wants the troublemakers to be punished with 'drastic' and 'severe' sanctions for racism, adding that it is clear that clubs are responsible for the hooligans.

However, the FIFA president admitted that 'football without a crowd is like a concert without sound', adding that stadium closures 'represent a disproportionately collective punishment' and is against excluding innocent fans of opposing teams.