Rio 'astonished' by Blatter's racism comments

Manchester: Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has hit out at FIFA president Sepp Blatter on the state of racism in football.

Blatter claimed players should accept that racism, and other forms of abuse, is part of the game in the heat of the moment and that it should be resolved with a handshake.

Rio's brother Anton Ferdinand has been central in the resurfacing of questions of the state of racism in the game, as the police investigate allegations that England and Chelsea captain John Terry was racist towards the QPR stopper.

Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand has hit out at FIFA president Sepp Blatter for his remarks on racism.

"Tell me I have just read Sepp Blatter's comments on racism in football wrong....if not, then I am astonished," Ferdinand tweeted.

"I feel stupid for thinking that football was taking a leading role against racism...it seems it was just on mute for a while," he continued. "Just for clarity, if a player abuses a referee, does a shake of the hand after the game wipe the slate clean??

"This is sitcom material!

"Is Sepp Blatter on twitter??? or is he too out of touch to know about it??"

He then later tweeted the head of FIFA directly and said: "Your comments on racism are so condescending it's almost laughable. If fans shout racist chants but shake our hands is that ok?"

Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong was even more damning of the Swiss' comments. "If Blatter ever comes to Arsenal, I am gonna Frimpong him!" he tweeted.

Ferdinand's team-mate Patrice Evra also finds himself at the heart of ongoing allegations of racism, after Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was charged by the FA for comments made towards the French defender at Anfield in October.

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