FIFA wants ‘crossed hands’ gesture to help beat racism in football

FIFA announced new measures to crack down on racism in football, including a “crossed hands” gesture for players to signal racist abuse to referees. Racism will become a specific offense in the disciplinary codes of all 211 FIFA members, with severe penalties like match forfeits. The move follows consultations with players who have suffered racist insults, such as Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham. FIFA’s five-pillar plan also includes criminalizing racism, anti-racism education, and creating a dedicated players’ anti-racism panel to monitor implementation. The governing body aims to make a global stand against discrimination. Photo: Reuters