Barcelona and France defender Lilian Thuram
France defender Lilian Thuram believes referees should have the power to stop matches if players are subjected to racial abuse at next month's European Championship.
Players such as Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o have previously advocated walking off the field if subjected to racist abuse, but Thuram said referees should be the ones taking decisive action.
"In the European Championship it would be good for the referees to assume their responsibilities. I think it could be something very important," Thuram said. "The referee has the right to stop the match if he wants."
Thuram is expected to be chosen for the June 7-29 tournament in Austria and Switzerland when France coach Raymond Domenech names his squad Sunday. It would be the seventh straight major international tournament for Thuram, who holds the country's record with 138 national team appearances.
Initiative
The FC Barcelona defender was speaking at a news conference for the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance in Paris, which was launching its "Unite against racism" initiative campaign ahead of Euro 2008.
Thuram, who moved to France from Guadeloupe as a young child, said he fears racism in soccer stadiums is increasing.
"It's true that these last few years we are witnessing more and more problems in football," Thuram said. "A certain rise of racism. As long as there isn't an in-depth education about racism, things will not change."
Thuram said players need to feel protected on the field, because without intervention from referees, players like Eto'o or Morocco defender Abdeslam Ouaddou feel compelled to try and resolve matters themselves.
Protest
While playing for Barcelona in a Spanish league match at Zaragoza in February 2006, Eto'o was racially abused with monkey noises when taking a corner. The Cameroon forward began walking off the field but was persuaded to remain.
"Why should it be just Eto'o who leaves the field, that is the real question?" Thuram said. "The real question would be that the referees, the players, leave the field together.
"If it's just Eto'o, the black player, who leaves the field, that is the real problem."
During a French first division league match on Feb. 16, Ouaddou, the captain of Valenciennes, tried to climb into the stands to confront a racist aggressor among Metz's fans at the Saint-Symphorien stadium.
Abuse
Ouaddou, who also led Morocco at the African Cup of Nations earlier this year, said he repeatedly informed referee Damien Ledentu of the abuse.
Ouaddou was shown a yellow card for unsportsmanlike conduct by Ledentu because he'd left the field during play.
Although Ledentu claimed he was not informed him of the racist abuse, television images clearly showed Ouaddou speaking to Ledentu prior to the incident. Other players also said they overheard Ouaddou informing Ledentu.
On Tuesday, a 38-year-old Metz fan was given a three-month suspended prison sentence and a three-year ban. Identified as a security agent, he was also fined 2,700 Euros(2,147 Pounds) and found guilty of "public injuries due to race."
Thuram criticized Ledentu's handling of the incident because it led to Ouaddou seeking his own form of justice.
Inaction
"It's easier to give a yellow card and to hear nothing," Thuram said. "You see that the person who suffers from racism is not understood. What does the referee do? Gives him (Ouaddou) a yellow card."
Thuram said the Ouaddou affair sends out a negative message because it discourages victims from speaking out.
"The person who suffers the racism has a tendency not to do anything because that person will say to himself 'I won't be understood.' So it's preferable to say nothing," Thuram said. "Ouaddou suffers the racism, goes to see the perpetrator, tries to understand, and the referee - who could go in favor of Ouaddou - gives him a yellow card."
