Anti-racism campaigner Lord Herman Ouseley has told ESPN that he would like to see Manchester United and Liverpool instruct Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra to shake hands ahead of their meeting on Sunday.
Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra: The infamous non-handshake
The head of the Kick It Out campaign and FA council member Lord Ouseley wants to see the end of what PFA chief Gordon Taylor likened to a 'mafia feud' after Anton Ferdinand refused to shake the hands of John Terry and Ashley Cole last week.
It comes in the wake of a government report, published on Wednesday, which insists that more can be done to eradicate racism in English football.
Suarez was given an eight-match ban and fined £40,000 for racially abusing Evra last October and the pair did not shake hands at their first meeting after the incident at Old Trafford in February. Now their handshake is in the spotlight again and Lord Ouseley believes the tension brought on by such acts needs to end and the clubs must act.
"I think the handshake is a very important aspect of the Respect campaign," Lord Ouseley told ESPN. "It sets the tight example of respect for youth football, schools football, women's football, to respect each other. That is something that needs to be there, respect, when you start out in life and in sport. We have seen such respect in the Olympics and Paralympics and that is the spirit of sport, the way it should be played, with enthusiasm, excitement and respect.
"The handshake might only be a gesture, but such gestures are important if they are significant in instilling respect and setting the right example for young kids. If Ferdinand can get away with it, and then Suarez and Evra get away with it, it doesn't set the right example. The clubs have an obligation. They pay their players £100,000-a-week and they are their employees, they should instruct their players to adhere to the Respect campaign.
"The Respect campaign is an integral part of what FIFA are trying to instil and what the FA are trying to do, but it's not easy for the FA.
"I have not been surprised by the report about racism. They can talk about wanting improvements, but the reality is that it is much harder to achieve.
"The answer is greater leadership from within the FA. David Bernstein does his best, but he is constrained by vested interests. I am afraid the report offers nothing new, says nothing that hasn't already been said and suggests nothing that hasn't already been suggested."
By:http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1164022/lord-ouseley:-handshakes-must-be-respected?cc=4716
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