Ian Wright hits out at ‘embarrassing’ Uefa after racist chanting in Montenegro

Ian Wright has said Uefa sanctions for racist chanting are “embarrassing” and feels the governing body is not doing enough to combat the problem.

Danny Rose was subjected to monkey chants during England’s 5-1 win against Montenegro on Monday and Raheem Sterling spoke after the Euro 2020 qualifier in Podgorica about the need for strong action.

Related: England’s Sterling and Southgate call for action on racist abuse in Montenegro

Wright, the former England striker who was working as a pundit for ITV, said: “You have got to protect your players, they will probably go to Uefa and they will fine them a pittance amount as a deterrent.

“Nothing will happen and we will probably get the same thing here at some stage again or somewhere else in Europe because they don’t do enough to stop it. We will continue to have to speak about it because the fines and punishments handed out by Uefa are embarrassing. They are no deterrent at all, nobody has been deterred from doing it.”

The Montenegro manager, Ljubisa Tumbakovic, said he had not heard the monkey chants and there was no reason for him to comment.

It is not the first time England have experienced problems in Montenegro. In 2013, during a World Cup qualifier, Joe Hart was pelted with cigarette lighters, pens and bottles, while Ashley Cole was spat at while taking a throw-in.

Wright added: “I agree with Gareth Southgate when he says there are certain countries in and around Europe that are not as diverse as we are, we have got our own problems, but at the same time we are trying to do something about it.

“That is embarrassing, I feel for Danny, I feel for Raheem. It’s 2019, it shouldn’t be happening, but Uefa aren’t doing enough to stop it so it will continue. They don’t think it is important enough, otherwise they would [stamp it out].”