FIFA Disband Anti-Racism Task Force Ahead of 2018 Russia World Cup

FIFA have decided to disband an anti-racism task force looking at problems in Russia ahead of the 2018 World Cup, suggesting the initiative has "completely fulfilled its temporary mission."

As reported by Rob Harris of the Associated Press, world football’s governing body contacted members of the task force to advise them their work was done, with the scheme "hereby dissolved and no longer in operation."

Osasu Obayiuwana, a member of the task force, told the Associated Press he didn’t agree with the decision, per Harris:

"

I wish I could say that I am shocked by the decision, but unfortunately I am not. The problem of racism in football remains a burning, very serious and topical one, which need continuous attention.

I personally think there remained a lot of very serious work for the task force to have done—the 2018 World Cup in Russia being one such matter. But it is evident the FIFA administration takes a different position.

"

It’s a decision that’s raised some eyebrows. Owen Gibson of the Guardian is another who feels FIFA’s move is a misguided one:

As reported by Harris, the task force was set up in 2013 by former president Sepp Blatter and headed initially by Jeffrey Webb. However, after Webb pleaded guilty to racketeering charges, he was replaced by Constant Omari a year ago, and according to Obayiuwana, things have unravelled from there.

"We never had a single meeting under his chairmanship," Obayiuwana said. "I wrote him, more than once, asking for when a meeting would be held. But I never received a reply from him."

Football journalist Philippe Auclair feels as though this decision represents a major step back from FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who was elected as Blatter's successor earlier in the year:

As reported by James Ellingworth of the Associated Press (h/t the MailOnline), CSKA Moscow are one Russian team that have been punished many times by UEFA due to the racist behaviour of supporters, with a UEFA Champions League game against Manchester City played behind closed doors in 2014.

"Russian authorities swamp many football games with hundreds, even thousands of police as a matter of course, including for relatively minor league fixtures," Ellingworth added.

FABRICE COFFRINI/Getty Images

Per Harris, a study conducted by the SOVA Center in Moscow and the FARE Network suggested racist actions are on the rise in Russian football. It’s stated there were 92 incidents noted during the 2014-15 season, with a total of 83 in the previous two seasons.

However, in the letter sent to task force members, FIFA suggested its own protocols "actually exceed the working group's recommendations,” pointing to projects like the "Say No to Racism" campaign and women's leadership conferences.