FIFA President Sepp Blatter under fire over 'racism in football' comment - Angry reactions, including a call for the resignation of President Sepp Blatter of world soccer's governing body FIFA, have greeted the FIFA boss' statement that there 'is no problem with racism in football' and that those targeted during matches should just 'shake hands with their abusers' and end it there.

Many, including footballers, on the social networking site Twitter have slammed Blatter for pretending there is no racism in football.

'To say what you said about racism in football spoke volumes of your ignorance to the subject,' twitted English footballer Rio Ferdinand

Retired French football Patrick Vieira tweeted: 'When Blatter said there is no racism in football, I didn't agree at all. I strongly believe there is racism in football.'

Another tweet, from someone identified as 'Leeds_boy', said: 'Hey Sepp Blatter, everyone I have spoken to thinks you are wrong about racism in football. Are you big enough to admit it?'

Gordon Taylor, the head of the Professional Football Association (PFA), went a step further by asking Blatter to resign from FIFA over the comments.

Rattled by the criticism, Blatter posted a message on the FIFA website, saying: 'I would like to make it very clear, I am committed to the fight against racism and any type of discrimination in football and in society.

'I have been personally leading this battle against racism in football, which FIFA has been fighting against throughout the past years through campaigns in all of our competitions such as the “Say no to racism” campaign....My comments have been misunderstood.'

But the Blatter statement provoked more attack from Ferdinand, especially because Blatter posted a picture he took with South African Tokyo Sexwale on the FIFA site.

Ferdinand again tweeted: 'Fifa clear up the Blatter comments with a pic of him posing with a black man. I need the hand covering my eyes symbol.'

The last may not have been heard about the controversy, considering the interest it has generated around the world.

Pana 17/11/2011