Warning fell on deaf ears and protocol was ignored

Racist abuse will only continue as long as Uefa and referees fail to exercise their power

There will be people who will take strength from Raheem and Callum

There was a warning that it might happen. Uefa knew England’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Montenegro was a high-risk game in terms of potential for racism, because it was told by Kick It Out’s partner organisation, Football Against Racism in Europe (Fare). But as I watched it unfold on Monday, it was clear Uefa had made no preparations for this outcome.

What could have been done? There are many tools that a referee in a Uefa competition game can use, starting with Uefa’s own three-step protocol for dealing with racist abuse towards players.

When it is first heard, the referee can send a message to the fourth official or match delegate, which is passed on to the stadium announcer, who tells the offenders in the crowd to stop. If that does not work, then the referee can take the players off the pitch until the abuse stops.

It should not be down to the abused players to make a stand, nor their manager and team-mates, as it was in Podgorica.

The power is in the hands of Uefa and the referee, and as long as they choose not to exercise that power to fight the problem of racist abuse then it is no surprise that it continues. Fare’s warning should have ensured Uefa put its officials and delegate on high alert, but it is hard to tell if they were even told.

This is no way to fight racial abuse. Nothing that has been done so far in parts of Europe seems to have had an effect, so let us try something stronger. I support competition expulsion for nations who cannot control their fans’ racist abuse. If your supporters cannot be trusted not to racially

abuse a footballer, then you cannot be trusted to play in the Euros.

As for Uefa’s charges against the Football Association of Montenegro, I could not help but note it puts racial abuse in third place, one down from the charge for “throwing objects”. Does that sound like an organisation that is about to take unprecedented action against festering racism?

At Kick It Out, it is my responsibility to oversee our education programme for the academy structure in the Premier League and the Football League for players between nine and 23. We talk to them about discrimination of all kinds, how to deal with it, how to report it, and how to avoid discriminating against others. Callum Hudson-odoi is among those many academy boys I have spoken to over the years.

Gareth Southgate called us in before the World Cup finals to speak to him, his staff and Football Association coaches across all age groups, including men’s and women’s teams. He wanted to know how he could deal with racial abuse aimed at his own players.

My impression was that he is committed to understanding his players and, above all, listening to them. That is why his reaction on Monday, and that of his players, was so powerful. There was no attempt by the FA to duck the issue and they spoke out, even Callum, at just 18.

It is about listening to players speak about abuse, its effect and their emotions. I do not like to take positives from such a depressing episode in the game, but I suppose that out of adversity some good did come. There will be people across Europe – especially young people – who will take strength from what Raheem Sterling and Callum said and will hopefully use that in the challenges they face on a daily basis.

What if an abused player had been sent off, as Kalidou Koulibaly was in December? There was a challenge by Danny Rose near the end which was robust, to say the least. That tackle said to me that he had had enough. What if that had been a red-card challenge? Uefa’s inaction during the game has materially affected the abused player and the team. The key is not to let it go on that long.

At Kick It Out, we do our best in terms of reporting, lobbying and educating – but there is a limit to our resources. With more we could do more, and my dream is to have a Europe-wide Kick It Out that takes the message to countries where racism never seems to be challenged. In another universe, what happened in Podgorica would be Uefa’s biggest priority today. Uefa would be applying the pressure in a way that only a governing body can.

What is the reality? That those young players who were racially abused, and their manager, have to do it for themselves.

Troy Townsend is head of development at anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out.