ASUNCION, Paraguay -- FIFA President Sepp Blatter has urged South America's football associations to hand out tougher sanctions for acts of racism by soccer fans.
Speaking Wednesday to members of the South American confederation CONMEBOL, Blatter said clubs linked to offending fans need to have points deducted and even be relegated.
Blatter says: ''We have a serious problem of racism and discrimination. We have the rules, but we lack the courage to stop this all over the world.''
Players of African descent are routinely jeered by fans across South America. This happens even in Brazil, which has a large Afro-Brazilian population.
Blatter is in South America looking for support from the 10-member confederation in his bid for re-election in May to a fifth four-year term.
