Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor believes that football has not learned from the Olympic and Paralympic Games following the recent controversy surrounding Chelsea skipper John Terry.
Terry was issued with a four-match ban after being found guilty of racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand last year, while Ashley Cole has landed himself in hot water after calling the Football Association a "bunch of twats" following the publication of the written reasons behind Terry's ban.
"It's not been the best of times for the game, especially coming on the back of an Olympics and Paralympics that had so many positive images," Taylor told BBC Radio Five Live.
"The game cannot be so arrogant as to believe it has a divine right to be the country's top spectator sport. Respect is the key for everybody in this game."
Cole has since apologised for his outburst.