David Bernstein accepts role in Fifa's new racism taskforce

Football Association chairman David Bernstein has accepted a role in Fifa's new anti-racism taskforce.

Established by football's governing body, the group will help combat racism and discrimination in the game.

"I am delighted to have been approached by Fifa to sit on their taskforce against racism and discrimination," said Bernstein.

"Anti-discrimination is a subject close to my heart and something that, in England, we have been keen to address."

English referee Howard Webb and AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng will also be members.

The taskforce will meet for the first time on 6 May - a meeting which Bernstein is unable to attend - and present its initial findings at Fifa's annual congress on 30-31 May.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter said: "We have to work on two fronts. First on education, and for that Fifa has a fantastic network through its 209 member associations. But besides that, we also need to have stronger sanctions.

"We have seen that fines achieve little, but point deductions and exclusion from competitions could be more effective measures.

"We will now have a task force with experts in this area who I am sure will help us achieve our objective of kicking discrimination and racism out of football."

Fifa announced the formation of the taskforce in March and said Jeffrey Webb, the president of Concacaf, the confederation for North and Central America along with the Caribbean, would be its chairman.

Bernstein, who will step down as FA chairman in July, will be joined by Theo Van Seggelen, the head of global players' union FIFPro, and Jozy Altidore, the AZ Alkmaar striker and United States international who was racially abused during a game against Den Bosch.

Italian journalist Gianni Merlo, Marcel Mathier, chairman of Fifa's disciplinary committee Marcel Mathier, and Claudio Sulser, former chairman of Fifa's ethics committee, are also involved.

Football journalist and lawyer Osasu Obayiuwana, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay and Piara Powar, head of European anti-racism body Fare, complete the taskforce.