Sterling Asks UEFA To Intensify Anti-Racism Efforts

By Max Wise

Raheem Sterling has asked UEFA to intensify efforts in tackling racism after he and teammate Danny Rose were subjected to racist chants in England’s 5-1 win at Montenegro.

Sterling was one of England’s goal scorers in the EURO 2020 qualifier on Monday night, and celebrated by putting his hands to his ears in reaction to the chants.

Rose also had some racist chants directed at him by a section of the crowd as he attracted the yellow card for a bad tackle late in the game.

Sterling was suffering such racist chants for the second time this season after being at the receiving end at Stamford Bridge in December when Chelsea beat Manchester City 2-0 in the Premier League.

When asked by Sky Sports if a stadium ban should be issued, Sterling said: "Yeah, it's got to be something that serious for them and make them think twice about ever doing something like that again.

"I can only, we can only, the FA can only do so much. We've got to leave this to the people in charge to make a proper stance on it.

"Just banning one or two people is not going to change anything, you've got to make [an example] – even if it was our fans, I'd be saying the same thing.

"The people in charge need to actually do it [punish] as a whole, the whole [of the] Montenegro fans. I don't know, I'm not the one who makes the rules, but they've got to do something that makes a real stance.

"It's 2019 now, I keep saying it. It's a shame to see this still going on. We can only bring awareness to the situation.

"It's now time for the people in charge to put a real stamp on it. You can fine someone, but what's that going to do?

"You've got to make it harder, you've got to punish the whole [group of] fans, [so] that [they] can't come to the ground.

"You've got to do something to really make them think twice because if their team can't play with fans, it means it's going to be difficult for them, so it's got to be something to make them think twice about."