Bernstein: FA has 'contingency plans' for racist abuse

31/05/2012 6:50:00 AM

Football Association chief has insisted that English football's governing body has plans to deal with any racism directed at their players during Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine

FA chairman David Bernstein has revealed that contingency plans are in place should any of England's players suffer from racist abuse during this summer's European Championships.

The comments come after the BBC's 'Panorama' programme highlighted an apparent high level of racism among football fans in Ukraine, who are co-hosting the tournament with Poland.

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Footage of racial abuse on the terraces in Ukraine has sparked media outrage in recent days. But Bernstein, who accepted Fabio Capello's resignation as England manager after John Terry was stripped of the captaincy because of allegations of racism, believes that the FA are well equipped to deal with any trouble that may arise during the course of the competition.

"Nobody could take these issues more seriously than we do. There are underlying issues and we have planned very carefully," Bernstein told Sky Sports News.

"We've got contingency plans. Heaven forbid we should need them. We're hopeful they're things that we don't need to use."

Mario Balotelli stated that he would walk off the pitch if he received racial abuse at the tournament, and remarked that he would "kill" anyone who threw a banana at him in the street, while the families of Arsenal's Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are not travelling to Poland and Ukraine because of fears for their safety.

Despite this, Bernstein sympathises with Uefa and Fifa's decision to take the tournament to a part of Europe renowned for having problems in dealing with racism.

He added: "These are new territories, Uefa and Fifa are keen to move into the new world. Let's see what happens. We go in confidently and positively."