Anti-racism campaigners believe peer pressure will continue to be the best way of stamping out the kind of abuse aimed at Middlesbrough striker Mido.
The 24-year-old Egyptian was targeted by travelling Newcastle fans during Sunday's 2-2 Barclays Premier League draw at the Riverside Stadium as players from both sides were subjected to chants from the stands.
However, it was songs referring to Mido's religion - he is a Muslim - which have sparked a major debate in recent days.
The FA is to seek the observations of both clubs over the matter, but Piara Powar, director of Kick It Out, insists the fans themselves can help stamp out racism while still passionately supporting their team.
He told PA Sport: "Rivalry is healthy. The process of sledging opposition sides or insulting opposition sides is something that is as old as the game itself.
"It is part and parcel of high-level sport and part and parcel of most spectator sports.
"But strong rivalries cannot become an excuse for abusive behaviour on the basis of race, religion or even the basis of someone's sexuality.
"This is where peer pressure is so important. We need to make sure other people feel empowered enough to say, 'I disagree with that', and feel quite able to express their disapproval, as they have done over the abuse of black players.
"We need to reinforce these messages and to make sure we draw the line between acceptable chants and forms of abuse that are acceptable.
"Most people know where the line is drawn in terms of abuse of black players, most people know where the line is drawn in Glasgow, for example, in terms of religion."
Kick It Out has promised to work with both clubs and the authorities in an effort to deal with the issue.
While huge strides have been made in British football in recent years, campaigners insist racism remains a problem, and draw no distinction between discrimination on the basis of race, religion or anything else.
Powar said: "It is all part and parcel of the bigger thing we call racism.
"Certainly abusing a player because of the colour of his skin is no different to abusing a player of Egyptian background because he is a Muslim, or, because he is from Egypt, associating him with being a terrorist.
"It is all about prejudice, about discrimination and the way people live their lives.
"We have more education now. Black players are as equal as white and the status black players have obtained over the years speaks for itself.
"In this particular case, it is the fact that Mido as a Muslim and an Egyptian Muslim that has been picked up on.
"If we had a player that was an Indian Hindu, that would be as bad.
"It is what people pick out to abuse a player that makes it racism - it is the same with the sectarian divide in Glasgow.
"The mistake we would make is not to see this as racism or be surprised by it and allow people to think this is okay territory for them to go to.
"In that sense, some of the awareness that has been raised by what happened to Mido on Sunday, in a perverse sort of way, has been positive."
However, it was songs referring to Mido's religion - he is a Muslim - which have sparked a major debate in recent days.
The FA is to seek the observations of both clubs over the matter, but Piara Powar, director of Kick It Out, insists the fans themselves can help stamp out racism while still passionately supporting their team.
He told PA Sport: "Rivalry is healthy. The process of sledging opposition sides or insulting opposition sides is something that is as old as the game itself.
"It is part and parcel of high-level sport and part and parcel of most spectator sports.
"But strong rivalries cannot become an excuse for abusive behaviour on the basis of race, religion or even the basis of someone's sexuality.
"This is where peer pressure is so important. We need to make sure other people feel empowered enough to say, 'I disagree with that', and feel quite able to express their disapproval, as they have done over the abuse of black players.
"We need to reinforce these messages and to make sure we draw the line between acceptable chants and forms of abuse that are acceptable.
"Most people know where the line is drawn in terms of abuse of black players, most people know where the line is drawn in Glasgow, for example, in terms of religion."
Kick It Out has promised to work with both clubs and the authorities in an effort to deal with the issue.
While huge strides have been made in British football in recent years, campaigners insist racism remains a problem, and draw no distinction between discrimination on the basis of race, religion or anything else.
Powar said: "It is all part and parcel of the bigger thing we call racism.
"Certainly abusing a player because of the colour of his skin is no different to abusing a player of Egyptian background because he is a Muslim, or, because he is from Egypt, associating him with being a terrorist.
"It is all about prejudice, about discrimination and the way people live their lives.
"We have more education now. Black players are as equal as white and the status black players have obtained over the years speaks for itself.
"In this particular case, it is the fact that Mido as a Muslim and an Egyptian Muslim that has been picked up on.
"If we had a player that was an Indian Hindu, that would be as bad.
"It is what people pick out to abuse a player that makes it racism - it is the same with the sectarian divide in Glasgow.
"The mistake we would make is not to see this as racism or be surprised by it and allow people to think this is okay territory for them to go to.
"In that sense, some of the awareness that has been raised by what happened to Mido on Sunday, in a perverse sort of way, has been positive."
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