The UK Minister for Sports, Hugh Robertson, has said that comments on racism in Ukraine have nothing to do with reality.
He said it to the Sky Sports TV channel, commenting on a recent BBC report and the statement of the England ex-player Sol Campbell who had urged fans to stay home unless they want to “come back in the coffin.” “All these statements are wrong.
My advice to any fan is to go, to go and support their team, to do everything to support their team. The more support they have, the more chance they have of winning.” he said. “There has been a lot of work done behind the scenes that in the nicest way solve the problem…
This has been done by the Home Office, this has been done by the police, by the Foreign Office in order to prepare for this [event]. But absolutely, at the moment, my advice to any fan is to go, have a really good time, but crucially to behave yourself as well.”
It will be recalled that the BBC showed the other day the footage it had filmed in Ukraine and Poland, in which one can see fans giving Nazi-type salutes and issuing sounds that resemble the cries of a monkey when black players appeared on the field.
