UEFA MUST CRACK DOWN HARD ON THE RACISTS

I RAISED concerns in last week’s column about Glen

Kamara going to Prague for Rangers’ Europa League tie against Sparta.

Unfortunately, Kamara became the focal point of the evening and not just because he was sent off unfairly.

UEFA banned Slavia’s Ondrej Kudela for ten matches after finding the Czech defender guilty of racially abusing Kamara at Ibrox last season.

Booed and heckled when he touched the ball on Thursday night it was disgusting to see a boy who was the victim in all of this be made out as the villain. It leaves such a bad taste.

For me, the only way we will make strides on this abuse is if the punishment from UEFA is so severe that these clubs start to deal with their own supporters.

We are not blameless here. On a weekly basis, there is an example of racial or sectarian abuse. We should be wary of pontificating, because we can be better.

But there are countries that come under the UEFA umbrella where clubs must be brought to task. Unless there is real strength from the governing body, all the messaging, the campaigning and taking of the knee will have a minuscule effect. The message is in danger of being lost.