Warner's talent for controversy

Published on Thursday 20 November 2008 21:42

FIFA chief Jack Warner has sparked further controversy by claiming people from African-Caribbean backgrounds have a "natural talent" for football.

Warner, Fifa vice-president and president of the Concacaf federation of countries from north and central America and the Caribbean, said all that was needed was "some degree of coaching".

However, Kick It Out, the organisation that campaigns against racism in football, said it was "a myth" that any race was physically pre-disposed to be good at football.

Warner told The Voice, a newspaper aimed at Britain's black community: "African-Caribbean footballers will continue to do better and better because they have natural talent.

"All that is needed is some degree of coaching, which is coming but our ability has been there from birth."

Piara Powar, director of Kick It Out, disputes any such generalisation.

Powar said: "We would refute all suggestions that there is a physical predisposition for sport. To say that one race is more athletic than others simply is not true."