Chat » ast month with the first team. "Spending the last two

ZURICH - FIFA has committed to tackle racism incidents harder at World Cup matches after criticism of its lacklustre efforts in Brazil.Taking advice from its anti-racism task force, FIFA has pledged to help train and appoint anti-discrimination officers to work at qualifying matches for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.The task force met Tuesday, chaired by FIFA vice-president Jeffrey Webb, who spoke out in Brazil against failures to gather evidence and prosecute disciplinary cases.FIFA will also guide its 209 member federations toward best practice on policy, education, sanctions and co-operation with civil society partners.Both measures send out a concrete message, Webb said in a statement published by FIFA. Now we need the full support from clubs, member associations, NGOs and campaign groups.The full support of FIFA appeared to be lacking in June when it did not sanction reported incidents of discriminatory chants and banners, and fans wearing black-face makeup.Webb, who is black, also pointed then to challenges in tackling longstanding racism problems in Russian football.FIFA President Sepp Blatter said, after watching the World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro with Russias President Vladimir Putin, that they would make the issue a priority.FIFAs statement Tuesday acknowledged the importance of using the next World Cup to showcase FIFAs zero-tolerance policy against any form of discrimination.Russias World Cup organizing committee deputy CEO Alexander Djordjadze said it was developing a plan that will encompass all areas concerning the fight against discrimination.Tuesdays meeting was attended by FIFA disciplinary panel chairman, Claudio Sulser who had spoken of isolated cases in Brazil when sharing a tense news conference platform with Webb during the tournament.FIFAs approach contrasted with European football body UEFA, which worked with fans monitoring group Fare to gather evidence and prosecute a series of cases at the 2012 European Championship, including against Russia fans.In other issues Tuesday, FIFAs task force also discussed a recent study, by the Sports Peoples Think Tank group, into why so few coaches from ethnic minority backgrounds are employed by English professional clubs. Cheap Air Max 270 Australia . -- Arizona came out of its last meeting with California a bit discombobulated, hurting from its first loss and the loss of forward Brandon Ashley for the rest of the season. Air Max 270 Australia Sale . Carreno Busta broke his opponent five times in the match, but also lost his serve three times in the second set before prevailing in the tiebreaker. Both players struggled with their first serve, as Carreno Busta landed just 51 per cent of his to 47 per cent for Kukushkin. http://www.wholesaleairmax270australia.com/ . The Brazilian-born strikers brace drew him level with Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo as the leagues leading scorers with 17 goals apiece through 16 rounds. "The important thing is to help the team win, not the goals," Diego Costa said. After a first half dominated by defence, Atletico pressed Valencia into its area and Diego Costa did the rest. Cheap Air Max 270 For Sale .com) - A pair of Eastern Conference rivals will meet on Saturday as D. Cheap Air Max 270 Wholesale .com) - Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau has been selected as the NHLs Rookie of the Month for December, the league announced Friday. MINNEAPOLIS -- Like an incomplete pass bouncing untouched on the turf, Bernard Berrians time in Minnesota fell well short of the hopes and expectations he raised following a strong first season with the Vikings. Berrian was waived Tuesday, halfway into his fourth year with the team. He met with coach Leslie Frazier on Monday about his status and had another talk scheduled for Tuesday, following his second healthy scratch in three games. Frazier declined to specify on Sunday after losing to Green Bay why he left Berrian on the inactive list again, but the coach hinted this move was coming. Berrian watched the Oct. 9 game against Arizona on the sideline in street clothes, too, and Frazier said that was for a disciplinary reason, reportedly because he missed two team meetings. The coach said afterward he didnt "foresee any future problems" and that Berrian remained a significant part of the teams offensive plans, but the vote of confidence was conspicuously missing the last two days when Frazier gave vague answers to questions from reporters about Berrians status. Between those benchings, Berrian had his most productive game of the season, with five receptions for 54 yards. But even that night at Chicago, he dropped a crucial third-down pass while running wide open on a slant route, failing to give quarterback Donovan McNabb and the struggling offence an important early spark. Berrian is a vested veteran, so the Vikings must pay him all of his US$1.9 million salary unless another team claims him. He took a pay cut to stay tthis year, down from $3.dddddddddddd9 million, and had the last two seasons of his original contract lopped off. Berrian signed for $16 million guaranteed and made several million more than that after leaving the Bears to join the NFC North rival Vikings in 2008. Missing the deep threat they could rely on for many years with Randy Moss, the Vikings counted on Berrian to stretch the field with his elite speed and diversify their game plans to keep defences from piling up to stop running back Adrian Peterson. But after collecting eight touchdowns, including one punt return for a score, and 964 yards receiving that first season, Berrian went downhill quickly. He was hampered by quadriceps, groin and hamstring injuries. He didnt connect with Brett Favre in 2009 or 2010, and this year was more of the same with McNabb. During interviews with the media, Berrian was often defensive, uncomfortable and terse. He claimed on Monday he believes hes the same player he was in 2008 and that hes faster now than he was then. But the 30-year-old Berrian hasnt scored a touchdown in a regular season or playoff game since Nov. 22, 2009, and only twice in the last two years has he surpassed 30 yards in a game. Devin Aromashodu and Michael Jenkins have assumed Berrians role, running deep routes. Rookie wide receiver Stephen Burton was elevated from the practice squad to take Berrians place on the active roster. Also, defensive end Cedric McKinley was released from the practice squad, leaving two open spots there. ' ' '