Football: Racism campaigners move to grass roots

ANTI-RACISM CAMPAIGNERS say that racist abuse at grounds is on the increase due to a false sense of security.

The Kick It Out group, which has been running the campaign for the last 18 months, has become concerned at the steady rise in the number of incidents since the start of the season. Ben Tegg, the assistant campaign co-ordinator for Kick It Out, said: "Football seems to think it has dealt with the problem, but that's not the case."

Only recently, racism reared its ugly head when two Asian boys were beaten with corner flags by opposing players in a game in London. Kick It Out's campaign has spread to "the grass roots of football", taking its message into schools and on to the playing fields of local Sunday league matches.

As Tegg admits, racism will never be completely stamped out of the game: "We want to do more work in these areas to educate people. Racism isn't football's problem, it's society's problem."

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