INTRO: Six African footballers in Russia went on strike this week after their team coach said he wouldn't be hiring any more black players, as he had "enough of the things".
Russia's Football Union has been criticised for taking no action against Rostov FC's Igor Gamula.
This isn't the first time Russian football has been embroiled in a race controversy.
Jake Rashbass reports from Moscow.
IN: Russian football isn't a…
OUT: SOC
DUR: 2"15
CLIPS
AIR: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0811worldcup-jr-air.mp3
ARN: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0811worldcup-jr-arn.mp3
GENERIC: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0811worldcup-jr-generic.mp3
ICRT: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0811worldcup-jr-icrt.mp3
NIGERIA: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0811worldcup-jr-von.mp3
RNZ: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0811worldcup-jr-rnz.mp3
VATICAN: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0811worldcup-jr-vatican.mp3
ZIZ: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0811worldcup-jr-ziz.mp3
SCRIPT:
VO1: Russian football isn't a stranger to racism.
With nationalism growing in the country in the past two decades, crowds have been seen to use Nazi salutes, and shout racial slurs such as "monkey" at black players.
Some Russian analysts claim it's a tactic from fans.
Sot 1: Alexander Prosvetov, Football Journalist: "On the one hand, spectators, fans, fanatics, want to put the opponent off, and when the players are dark-skinned, the simplest way to do that is by booing and insults based on their race. and black footballers can't stand that, because of a historical complex."
VO2: Russia is due to host the next World Cup in 2018.
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Touré has said African players should consider boycotting the World Cup, after hooligans in the crowd chanted monkey noises at him during an away game in Moscow last year.
But the chief editor of Russia's largest sports newspaper says although he believes racism isn't a wide phenomenon in Russian football, not enough is being done to tackle it.
SOT 2: Artur Petrosyan, Sport-express.ru: "The problem for Russian football, and maybe Russian society, is that we don't know how to handle it. Those who boo black players, those who make racist chants, they usually are not usually taken to the police, they are not identified."
VO 3 UN official Bayisa Wak Woya says it's not just Africans who face xenophobia in Russia, but any non-Russians.
SOT 3: Bayisa Wak Woya, UNHCR "I don't think its because of ethnicity, but the 70 years period of time in history where they were along against the whole world, they were very sensitive against any foreigners. so the system is built all these years protecting russia from foreigners. you can be german you can be british, anyone who is outside is outsiders, us against the whole world."
VO4: As Russia develops its stadiums in preparation for the world cup, questions are being raised about whether the country will be able to welcome black players.
Tokyo Sexwale, anti-racism adviser to FIFA, says if Russia's government doesn't tackle the problem, African players may refuse to take part.
With Moscow already under international criticism over the crisis in eastern ukraine, that is a risk it is unlikely to take.
Jake Rashbass