FIFA president would support England walk-off
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-11-22 09:00

FIFA President Sepp Blatter said on Sunday he would have supported the England team if they had walked off the pitch in protest at the racial taunts during their friendly with Spain in Madrid last week.

A number of England players, in particular Ashley Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips were subjected to monkey chants from the Bernabeu crowd on Wednesday in the 1-0 defeat. Racial abuse also marred the under-21 clash between the two countries on Tuesday.

Blatter said that he was "shocked" to hear of the racist abuse and feel "sad about these new expressions of racism in a stadium that has been a temple of football".

"I would have supported their walking off," Blatter told BBC radio. "We have to maintain discipline and respect on and off the field."

"We are investigating and are going to give out recommendationsand instructions. Something like that (walking off) could be possible."

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