Benni wants strong message
Benni McCarthy has called on the game's governing bodies to clamp down on racism.
Benni McCarthy has called on the game's governing bodies to clamp down on racism after being the subject of abuse in a recent Uefa Cup game with Blackburn Rovers.The South African international was abused by Wisla Krakow's Nikola Mijailovic in a 2-1 win for the English club last week, with the defender receiving a five-game ban as a result of his actions.
McCarthy has now explained to Sky Sports News why he felt the need to refrain from retaliating, and why Fifa and Uefa must make further examples of those players found guilty of racism in order to safeguard the future of football.
"I think in football it is wrong, we are doing so much fighting - let's fight racism, fight all kinds of things in sport - and then you still find a lot of people are racist or they do things to go against what you are trying to prevent," McCarthy told Sky Sports News.
"I think an example has to be made before people really get it in their head that those nasty things don't exist in football any more.
"So I think whether they get a one game or five game suspension, I don't really care whatever happens to him, I just hope that there is no next victim because it is not a good thing when you are playing and you get treated like that."
McCarthy also explained why he chose not to respond to the racist jibe which has cast a shadow over Rovers' victory in Poland.
"I could have been nasty as well if I had wanted to, because the thing he said to me, it's one of things you hear every day when there were difficulties in the past, but it's stuff that you are familiar with and it goes in one ear and comes out the other," McCarthy added.
"But I know if I had to retaliate I would have probably hurt him more than he did to me.
"But it is not about retaliation, its about respecting people in general.
"He treated me in the manner he did and I didn't feel it was appropriate to retaliate or to say anything back to make me feel good so I just think it was wrong.
"I just hope that the sooner that these things stop the better because football is better off without problems than having to deal with all sorts of small crazy things by stupid people."
