The former Northern Ireland sports minister Mr Michael McGimpsey has been criticised by the Alliance party over the problem of sectarianism at a club level inNorthern Ireland soccer.
Mr McGimpsey had criticised Alliance sports spokesman Michael Long for callingfor sectarianism at Irish League clubs to be stamped out.
The former devolved minister argued: "Sectarianism is a problem faced bysociety as a whole in Northern Ireland.
"In focusing on the beautiful game, Alliance have, once again, picked thewrong target."
Mr McGimpsey noted Alliance had acknowledged that the Irish FootballAssociation had done much to improve the atmosphere at Northern Irelandinternational football games.
But he argued that the same fans who backed the "Give bigotry the red card"campaign at international matches were the same people who attended Irish Leaguematches.
"I doubt if they will take kindly to effectively being branded as sectarianbigots," the South Belfast councillor said.
"As sports minister, I initiated the soccer strategy which was designed tosupport Northern Ireland football. Surely that is what all Northern Irelandpoliticians should be seeking to do?
"Rather than running off to Scotland, the Alliance Party would do well toactually attend some matches in Northern Ireland, talk to the fans and thoseinvolved in the Irish League and then - and only then - issue statements."
However, Mr Long hit back, claiming Mr McGimpsey had failed to introduceduring devolution one piece of legislation tackling sectarianism.
The Castlereagh councillor responded: "I have attended hundreds of local andinternational football games over the years and if Mr McGimpsey thinks thatthere is no sectarian chanting, one wonders if he visits the same grounds.
"Perhaps he can't remember the Neil Lennon incident, in which the captain ofour international team received loyalist death threats.
"The majority of local soccer fans are certainly not bigots but they want ridof the tensions created by the vocal minority.
"In Scotland, Rangers and Celtic fans now report sectarian behaviour to theclubs, who take action, such as the removal of season tickets."
The Alliance spokesman, whose party met representatives of Glasgow's Old Firmclubs during a fact-finding visit this week to Scotland, said he had defendedthe Irish Football Association's attempts to stamp out sectarianism.
However, he added everyone had a part to play in ridding Northern Irelandsport of bigotry.
"When I met with the IFA they wanted better legislative back-up to deal withthe problems they face, yet the former minister still wasn't able to introducethe Football Offences Act in Northern Ireland.
"His feeble attempts to turn soccer into even more of a political footballthan he already has is pathetic and his criticism of Alliance for asking Rangersand Celtic for their advice is laughable in light of his own inaction."
PA