Unsporting hand

It is also one of sport’s great traditions that the victors and the vanquished should acknowledge each other at full-time, and players from both codes of rugby and ice hockey – sports far more rumbustious than football – have no problem doing so after a hard fought encounter.

Football’s elite should consider as they consider the ramifications of the farcical scenes both before and after Manchester United’s clash with Liverpool as the racism row between Patrice Evra and Luis Squarez drags on.

There has to be a zero tolerance approach towards racism, both on and off the pitch, to ensure football does not take a retrograde step. But, equally, it has to be remembered that sportsmanship is far more important virtue than ego or money. And what message does it send out when two teams of 11 footballers cannot conduct themselves in a dignified manner and shake hands – either prior to a match or at full-time?

It’s hardly an endorsement of the FA’s Respect campaign.