FIFA chief backs calls for Floyd justice

PARIS: FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Tuesday that footballers in Germany calling for justice for George Floyd during mat­ches deserve applause rather than sanctions.

The German Football Association (DFB) is investigating Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho and Achraf Hakimi, Schalke’s American midfielder Weston McKennie and Borussia Moenchengladbach’s French forward Marcus Thuram for their tributes to Floyd at the weekend.

Floyd died last week after a white policeman in Minneapolis kneeled on the handcuffed man’s neck for several minutes. The incident has sparked days of violent protests across the United States. “For the avoidance of doubt, in a FIFA competition the recent demonstrations of players in Bundesliga matches would deserve an applause and not a punishment,” Infantino said in a FIFA statement.

“We all must say no to racism and any form of discrimination. We all must say no to violence. Any form of violence.”