Task Force: Fifa and Prince Ali

task force: Kick It Out , English soccer anti-discrimination organization, said it was "perplexed" by FIFA decision, given the World Cup is being staged in 2018 in Russia "which is notorious for racism and abusive activities towards minorities." Jordanian federation president Prince Ali said he found it "incredibly worrying" that the task force was being scrapped given the "very real and apparent" discrimination problem that remains in soccer. "The fight against racism is far from over and the notion that the current FIFA leadership believes that the 'task force recommendations have been implemented' is shameful," said Prince Ali, a former FIFA presidential candidate and FIFA vice-president. "Now the idea that FIFA believes that it the right time to disband its anti-racism task force is ridiculous." Prince Ali believes the task force should have been empowered to work further with soccer authorities and governments to use the sport to tackle discrimination in wider society. "There is still so much work to do, and FIFA must show leadership, take responsibility for reform and be accountable if change isn't put into practice," Prince Ali said. "Transparency, trust, credibility and integrity are the values that should run through everything FIFA does, according to Guelph Mercury. Not tackling the plague of racism and discrimination properly is an absolute betrayal of those values." The task force was established in 2013 by then-FIFA President Sepp Blatter and headed by Jeffrey Webb, a vice-president of world soccer governing body until he was arrested in 2015 as part of the American investigation into soccer corruption. The Associated Press revealed Sunday that the anti-racism group was being dismantled after FIFA decided that its mission had been completed after three years. Webb, who pleaded guilty to racketeering charges, was replaced in September 2015 as task force chairman by Congolese federation president Constant Omari. "The reality, as with many programs within FIFA, is that the task force was never given real support since its conception and its role was more about FIFA image than actually tackling the issues," Prince Ali said. The Senegalese former United Nations official said her "presence here is a strong testimony that for FIFA, it is a zero tolerance policy" on discrimination and it is an inclusive organization. FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura fended off the criticism, insisting her organization remains committed to combatting discrimination in the world most popular sport. "The task force had a very specific mandate that to our knowledge it has fully fulfilled," Samoura said at the Soccer Ex convention. "Its recommendations have now been turned into a program and a strong one." Samoura was appointed in May as the organization first female and first African top administrator of world soccer governing body as part of the overhaul under Gianni Infantino. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.