The UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup are the flagship European club competitions - and the whole world will be watching. With such an audience, UEFA are determined that the spectre of racism will not raise its head during the season.

 

It has long been a mission of UEFA to stamp out prejudice of all kinds throughout the European game and to support all organisations dedicated to that end - the current Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) week being a particular case in point. And since the arrival of Michel Platini as UEFA President and David Taylor in the role of UEFA General Secretary, that commitment has been particularly emphasised.

 

"Football owes itself to be an example in our societies," said Mr Platini, addressing the UEFA Champions League group-stage draw ceremony in Monaco. "Football must teach values to Europe - honesty, courage, fraternity, tolerance and peace. Football includes, integrates and welcomes. It excludes no one, it discriminates against no one, it persecutes no one. The battle we have undertaken against racism and discrimination is a combat which will only stop when these phenomena have disappeared from our stadiums. With the [UEFA] Executive Committee, we will continue to be intransigent."

 

Therefore, there will be no tolerance for those who use racist language. "I don't know who they are, I don't know what interest they have in football," Mr Taylor said. "They are not welcome in football or anywhere near it. UEFA has its approach to these problems. We will kick clubs out of European competitions, even national teams if players or supporters act in a racist way. These sort of sanctions are there and UEFA will not be afraid to use them if the circumstances are serious enough. So we have no tolerance for racist behaviour."

 

Punishment is not the only strand to UEFA's anti-racism stance. Working with FARE and similar bodies has been a cornerstone for some years, and Mr Taylor confirmed that such support, financial and through the use of UEFA's influence and reputation, remains a central pillar. "On the more positive side, we do need to work with and are working with and providing financial support to organisations who are continually leading the campaign, the publicity campaign," he said. "It's important we use top players and coaches to demonstrate to those interested in football that the leaders of our game want this out of football completely."

 

This is not about eradicating passion from football supporting, of course, but it is about leaving no doubt where the line is drawn between a fans' free speech and unacceptable abuse. In his Monaco speech, Mr Platini explained: "When a forward misses a certain goal, when a goalkeeper makes an error with a simple shot, this is totally acceptable. But racism and violence in football are completely unacceptable in football - there must be zero tolerance."

 

The UEFA President concluded with a rallying cry: "We have already taken severe measures, and we will continue to take them while we have not eradicated this scourge ... Do not submit to the blackmail of certain groups who only represent themselves. Make the effort to implement a system of qualified stewards. Only recognize supporters' associations which clearly and unambiguously reject violence and racism. Together, let us change football and make it more united, more fraternal and more fun to enjoy."