Lord Ouseley may quit FA post over race row

The racism row in football seems to forever rumble on without resolve. And a lack of action or progress in the case involving England captain John Terry's alleged abuse of Anton Ferdinand could see one of the game's most influential and respected campaigners quit from his post at the Football Association.

Lord Herman Ouseley, chair of Kick It Out has hinted he may quit the FA Council depending on the outcome of the investigation in the Terry-Ferdinand case. Lord Ouseley has been a staunch campaigner against racism and other forms of discrimination in the beautiful game, but the on-going saga, which sees no end in sight yet, could force his hand to step down from the FA Council unless there are positive outcomes for football and the rest of society.

According to ESPNsoccernet, he has grown frustrated with the way the situation has been dealt by the authorities, leaving a cloud hanging over both Terry and Ferdinand as well as other incidents including Liverpool's Luis Suarez alleged abuse of Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.

"I am prepared to wait until the outcome, as people I trust and respect have asked me not to be impulsive and to wait until the outcome is known, and this is what I plan to do. Whether or not I have had enough of it all will depend on what happens next. The important issue here is that we have made great strides and progress over the last decade and a half in challenging unacceptable and racist behaviour and we are all very keen to maintain that momentum. It must go on beyond this incident and ensure we set the standards that must not be breached in the future. What is done on that score will determine what I do next."

England take on Spain in an international friendly at Wembley on Saturday. The World and European champions have had their fair share of trouble over the years, with fans making monkey chants at Black players when England played in Madrid back in 2004. Lord Ouseley is hoping for a positive and a progressive outcome from the Ferdinand-Terry scenario, if only for England to continue to uphold their stance on condemning discrimination and being standard bearers in tackling issues.

"We have Respect campaigns, players wear Respect on their sleeves, and we expect the right kind of behaviour and conduct from our professional footballers. How can we expect to set the right example to the youth of this country, if that respect breaks down on whatever level?"

Picture: Lord Ouseley