sport news West Ham's Anton Ferdinand praises TST organizers for its 'no-nonsense action' ... trends now
Anton Ferdinand has opened up on an incident of racial abuse that took place during a 7v7 match involving West Ham United in the US, praising the efforts of tournament organizers, TST, in the aftermath.
Speaking to reporters after the Hammers' 4-3 win over Culture By Mo Ali FC in Carry, North Carolina, on Friday, the former Premier League defender, who was the subject of racist abuse during his playing days, said: 'I need to go on record and say that the topic of conversation that was laid bare yesterday is bigger than football.'
'And the way that TST's dealt with it, so swiftly - the no-nonsense action. A lot of people around the world, organizations around the world can take them.
'The support that they've given us as a team and as a squad, not just to us but for the staff right here with us has been second to none. We have to remember that this ain't just a football issue. It's a societal issue that needs addressing and if more people were dressing the way TST addressed it, the world would be a better place.'
On Thursday, TST officials communicated that a Dallas United player used a racial slur toward a West Ham player. Tournament organizers initially believed that the insult was directed at Ferdinand, but later clarified the player to be Frank Nouble.
Anton Ferdinand said an incident of racial abuse in a match Thursday was 'bigger than football'
Players on West Ham's 7v7 side at The Soccer Tournament (TST) took a knee on Friday
On Thursday, a Dallas United player allegedly made a racial slur to West Ham's Franke Nouble
Dallas withdrew from the tournament on Friday, insisting that the decision was of their own choosing, despite reports elsewhere claiming that they had been disqualified.
In the wake of the shocking incident, tournament organizers said: 'After conducting an investigation into the final moments of the match between West Ham United and Dallas United, we have concluded that Dallas United violated TST’s code of conduct.
'We have been in dialogue with leadership from both clubs and we are all aligned that the best path forward is Dallas United withdrawing from competition.'
Nouble got heated with the accused Dallas United player and, after the altercation, he and teammates, including Ferdinand, held discussions on the team's bench along with officials before deciding to walk off the field.
Asked if West Ham players were considering to no longer play after the
