The latest iteration of the World Cup in Russia is just under a year away with the warm up tournament, the Confederations Cup, set to begin this weekend. Many have protested FIFA's decision to award the World Cup to Russia given the country's history of discrimination and racism but soccer's ruling body is making attempts to appease the critics. On Wednesday, FIFA passed a new rule that introduces an "anti-discrimination monitoring system" for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. The new system will allow referees to stop the match completely if racist or discriminatory behavior is seen in the stands or on the field. “Both initiatives are extra tools for the referees and match officials to prevent discriminatory attitudes and ensure that the atmosphere in the stadium is one of fair play and respect.”
