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Racism furore: Blatter hits back at Rio Ferdinand on Twitter

Sepp Blatter continues to backtrack on comments he made regarding racism in football, responding to Rio Ferdinand’s angry reaction on Twitter.

SEPP BLATTER HAS responded to Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand on Twitter, after the footballer expressed his exasperation at a picture of the 75-year-old on the FIFA website.

Following the furore over comments he made in two television interviews, where he insisted that racist abuse on the pitch should be settled by a handshake, Blatter backtracked on the FIFA site under the headline ‘Blatter: Committed To Fight Against Racism.’

Blatter is seen shaking the hand of an unidentified man in the article’s main image, prompting Ferdinand to tweet:

The 75-year-old Swiss hit back at Ferdinand in a series of tweets on Thursday morning.

“…We have done several joint activities to raise awareness on the struggle against racism in South Africa…

“…FIFA has a long standing and proud record in the area of anti-discrimination which will continue.”

Ferdinand had earlier responded with incredulity to Blatter’s interviews with CNN and Al Jazeera, which came on the day that Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was charged with making racist comments towards United left-back Patrice Evra during last month’s clash at Anfield.

The England defender tweeted to the Swiss directly: “@SeppBlatter your comments on racism are so condescending its almost laughable. If fans shout racist chants but shake our hands is that ok?”

The 32-year-old then followed that up with, “Tell me I have just read Sepp Blatter’s comments on racism in football wrong… if not then I am astonished.

“I feel stupid for thinking that football was taking a leading role against racism…..it seems it was just on mute for a while.

“Just for clarity if a player abuses a referee, does a shake of the hand after the game wipe the slate clean??”

Read: Huge criticism as Blatter downplays racism in football >

Watch: How a ticketless Irish fan ended up in Estonia’s dugout >

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