A LEADING human rights barrister has said talks over a separate black footballers’ association have begun, reports BBC.com.
Peter Herbert, who chairs the Society of Black Lawyers and helped set up a Black Police Association, says the discussions are ata preliminary stage, but involve several players.
Herbert says the new organisation would provide a more “radical” and “vigorous” approach to combating racism.
The working title for the proposed body is theBlack Players’ Association.
Players from various levels of the game are involved, Herbert says, including the Premier League.
Herbert says John Terry’s abuse of Anton Ferdinand and Luis Suarez’s abuse of PatriceEvra last season, along with the alleged racistabuse of England Under-21 player Danny Rose in Serbia, were a trigger for black players to come forward and attempt to form the group.
“People appear to have decided they have to do something more vigorously,” Herbert said.
“What we are seeking to do for the individuals is to have that protection so they are not on their own or faced with a barrage of pressure from the media, from their clubs or the FA, but have the support of the whole community of the UK - and that includes the legal community.”