GET IT OUT

Last updated : 24 October 2006 By Ed
Rio Ferdinand has called for tough penalties for players who make racist remarks during matches.

"Players need to be banned for a certain amount of games and massive fines - something that is going to make people sit up and think: `I had better not do that. My club is going to suffer, I am going to suffer. I will get embarrassed in public as well'. He said

"I think people need to be hung out to dry. There needs to be nowhere for them to hide.

"Football is not going to get racism out of society but it goes a long way to setting the right tone towards kids coming through because football is an inspiration.

"If they see footballers doing the right thing then more than likely they will try to go along the same lines.

"The powers that be have a part to play."

He also called for Sepp Blatter to take control of the situation in football.

"If it was something silly like someone pulling a shirt over their heads to celebrate a goal I am sure Sepp would have been talking about it. Up until now I have not heard anything about racism."