ZURICH — A FIFA task force against discrimination is not contacting 2018 World Cup host Russia about a controversial anti-gay law, panel chairman Jeffrey Webb said Thursday.
Instead, FIFA President Sepp Blatter and top official Jerome Valcke will lead the handling of the issue, which has threatened to affect preparations for the Sochi Olympics.
"We have been advised that the FIFA administration, the president and secretary general are in discussions with the Russian authorities," Webb said after the panel's six-hour session.
FIFA joined the IOC seeking clarification from Russia ahead of next February's Winter Games and the World Cup about how it would apply a new law banning promotion of "nontraditional" lifestyles to minors.
Webb said FIFA "does not tolerate or accept any form of discrimination."
Still, his panel that met Thursday does not plan to send guidelines to Russia and 2022 World Cup host Qatar, where homosexual acts are illegal.
"Whatever we do as a task force has to have the universality of the 209 [nation] membership of FIFA," said Webb, a vice president who leads the regional football body for North and Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF).
"If there is an infringement in regard to the FIFA statutes, that is for the FIFA disciplinary bodies and FIFA executive committee to address," he said. One of Webb's FIFA board colleagues is Russia's sports minister, Vitaly Mutko.
Thursday's meeting was a second for the task force, which succeeded in May pushing through recommendations for tougher sanctions following racist incidents in football.
Webb said priorities included better identification of high-risk World Cup matches and helping FIFA member countries recruit and train anti-discrimination specialists.
Promoting a global campaign using players as ambassadors is also planned at the task force's next scheduled meeting in December.
"FIFA, of course, cannot address the issues for society as a whole, but I think FIFA can definitely address it internally with coaches, players, clubs and stadiums," Webb said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
