Don't tolerate racism, cries out FIFA

New Delhi: Football's world governing body FIFA has come down heavily on soccer clubs that tolerate racism.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has confirmed that a Swiss federal tribunal has given the Zurich-based governing body the right to severely punish such clubs.

Blatter was speaking on the 50th anniversary of the African Football Federation.

"We have established since the year 2000 an international calendar, an international consolidated calendar, where the interests of the clubs are shared with the interests of the national associations," Blatter said.

He also commented on the growing controversy of whether professional players playing abroad should give precedence to their country rather than their clubs.

Last week, Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel defied manager Jose Mourinho to play an international friendly for Nigeria because of death threats against his family, according to British media reports.