Luis Suarez: 4 Other Things FIFA Can Do to Eliminate Racism

Luis Suarez has been banned for eight matches and fined £40,000 for his racial abuse of Patrice Evra. This is a good step, but FIFA must do more to eliminate racism in world football.

The ban is pending an appeal, so Suarez will be allowed to play until the appeal is heard. Nevertheless, at some point, Suarez will pay a hefty fine and miss time.

I must give credit to F.A. for acting on such allegations, while still hearing both sides. Still, more can be done.

Racism is unacceptable, and FIFA must do everything in its power to eliminate it from the beautiful game.

Clearly Inform What Is and Isn't Acceptable

Luis Suarez main defense was that "negro" doesn't have a racist connotation in Uruguay.

Even so, that doesn't mean the word is acceptable, especially when used in a derogatory sense. It doesn't matter what Suarez thought it meant. Instead, it matters what Patrice Evra thinks and feels.

Furthermore, FIFA must inform every player what is acceptable and unacceptable. Obviously, they felt this was inappropriate, but Suarez doesn't necessarily think he did something wrong. If FIFA explained the rules better, then this problem could've been avoided.

Obviously, if Suarez simply uses racist language without abandon, he should be punished for it. However, if he didn't think he was doing anything wrong because the words are not racist, then he should not shoulder all the blame.

That being said, any racist comments should not be taken lightly, regardless of what the offender believes is understood.

Continue with Stiff Penalties

FIFA has set a good standard of cracking down on racism.

Now, they need to keep that up.

If John Terry is found guilty of racist remarks, he should be banned for just as long, if not longer. Terry is a legend, but that does not give him the right to use offensive language. If Suarez goes down, Terry should go down as well, if he is found guilty.

In addition, these penalties should not simply act on their own. If FIFA really want to make a difference, this will be the new minimum for such horrendous violations.

Stronger Anti-Racism Campaign

The "Say No to Racism" campaign is a solid base for anti-racist comments.

However, it is not doing nearly enough to prevent racism from happening. If FIFA truly wants to have an impact on eliminating racism from the game, a stronger campaign is necessary.

It looks good, and it has a simple message. However, the campaign is not proactive enough. Having more player support and active participation from major players would give the campaign more life.

Luis Suarez posed for this picture just over a year before his verbal attack on Patrice Evra.

What is this campaign accomplishing then?

Rather than simply raise awareness, FIFA needs to act out against the idea of racism in the game of football. Obviously, they are limited in what they can do, but there is definitely more that can be done.

Keep Luis Suarez on Thin Ice

Luis Suarez has been warned for his future behavior, but it should be harsher than that.

If Suarez uses racist comments any time in the future, he should face a yearlong ban. Racism can't be tolerated, and the second penalty should be incredibly tough.

Suarez will most likely watch his mouth upon his return, but in the event of another situation, Suarez should be banned from FIFA for a long while. I think one year is a fair penalty, considering the degree of the offense.

People of all ages enjoy watching Suarez play football, and he should be held to a high standard. If he proves that he can't abide by that standard, the man should not be allowed to play.

I hope that this is the last act of racism we hear from Suarez. However, if it's not, the next act should be the last we hear from Suarez, altogether, in a long time.