THE EDITOR: The offensive sight of the Concacaf match between Mexico and TT on Saturday being interrupted twice due to racial chants and placards must draw condemnation, but moreso outright serious sanctions. There is no place in the "beautiful game" for the ugly head of racism.

'Reject racism from the heart,' not conveniently nor prejudiced on the basis of which country is involved. The basic principles of football are summed up in equality, safety and enjoyment. The game has evolved with necessary changes, all aimed at promoting these enshrined principles.

It was in 1988 that FIFA launched the 'Fair Play, Please" campaign, now very much alive and carrying a prestigious award at all tournaments. It was at the 24th Olympiad in Seoul, South Korea, that the first fair play pins were revealed. I was there representing Concacaf, CFU and TT as a referee at the football games. Today, we may add fair play as the other principle of the game - beautiful indeed - as further evolving and desirable.

There are options for the referees within the laws of the game. It may well be time for sanctions as serious as forfeiture of match or reduction of points based on racial remarks at games. Let us not lose the opportunity to duly send the message that this is not to be tolerated.

There was, a few years ago, an inter-col match at which a supporter attacked an assistant referee, forcing an abondenment of the game. The school lost the opportunity to show solidarity in rejecting that behaviour by participating in the replay. It would have been a great lesson to all students that the school was not about winning only.

Today we have a similar situation and must see the beauty of rejecting that modern-age uncivilised type of action as totally unacceptable. Civilisation began with the removal of the darkness of discrimination in all forms, moreso racial discrimination. Are we in the 21st century? Did we see the turn of the millennium but living in pre-historic times?

Maybe we have to apologise to that era as, perhaps, they lived a life with no such thinking or practices.

Yes, we are on luxury cruises to outer space but that is no achievement if we cannot go beyond mental slavery and barbarism. Let us join in a hue and cry against racism and all forms of discrimination if we want to leave a legacy of some value for the future.

Remember, one thing that cometh back not is the lost opportunity.

LENNOX SIRJUESINGH

Chaguanas