• Premier League

Swansea, Wigan snub Kick It Out campaign

ESPN staff
October 21, 2012
Rio Ferdinand did not wear a Kick It Out T-shirt © PA Photos
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Swansea City goalkeeper Michel Vorm has called on governing bodies to take stronger action against racism after the entire team declined to wear Kick It Out T-shirts ahead of the 2-1 victory over Wigan.

Several players in the Premier League - including Reading striker Jason Roberts and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand - did not wear the T-shirts on Saturday in protest at the way recent cases of racial abuse have been handled.

Explaining the Swansea team's decision, Vorm said a number of the players felt more had to be done.

"Everybody is against racism of course but everyone expects the governing bodies to do more," he said on the BBC Sport website. "They really have to do something and not just say something on a T-shirt, so some of the players didn't want to wear the T-shirt because of that."

After the game, Swansea boss Michael Laudrup had said: "It's an individual thing because the issue is not only a football issue - it is social, too. I don't think with a thing like that you can say, 'You have to do it'.

"It is better to ask each one of them [the players], I didn't want to have any influence on things. You have to ask each person as it goes much further than football.''

The Wigan players also declined to wear the T-shirts, and manager Roberto Martinez explained that the decision had been taken to show solidarity with their hosts.

"We wanted to show respect for the home side," Martinez said. "They took the decision not to wear the shirts so we supported them. It would not have looked right if we had worn them. I would expect the same thing if Swansea come to our ground."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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