David Cameron is to intervene directly in the row over racism in football by holding a summit on the issue at Downing Street, The Sunday Telegraph has learned.

David Cameron also accused the Government of serial incompetence

The Prime Minister and Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary, will stage a “round table discussion” at Number 10 with leading figures from footballing authorities - as well as “player representatives” - next week.

The move comes amid growing fears that incidents allegedly fuelled by racism are harming the image of the game in
England in the run up to the London Olympic Games, which begin in July.

Yesterday a fresh row broke out after Luis Suarez, the Liverpool forward, refused to shake the hand of Patrice Evra, the
Manchester United, before the high-profile televised match between the two teams at Old Trafford, which United won 2-1.

Suarez has only recently returned to the Liverpool team following an eight-match ban for racially abusing Evra during a game against United at Anfield in October. An FA statement said the 24-year-old Uruguayan had used words that “included a reference to Mr Evra’s colour.”

John Terry, the Chelsea captain, faces a criminal charge of racial abuse after allegedly directing comments at Anton
Ferdinand, the Queens Park Rangers defender, in a game also played in October. Terry was stripped of the England captaincy earlier this month in a chain of events which ultimately led to the resignation last week of the England manager, Fabio Capello.

Last month Mr Cameron said: “Many of us will have been concerned by recent events. My message is clear. We will not tolerate racism in Britain. It has absolutely no place in our society. And where it exists, we will kick it out.” He added that he wanted to see more black managers and coaches at the top level of the game.

A source at the Premier League, one of the authorities expected to go to Downing Street, said the talks were expected to be “constructive and positive”.

Critics, however, are likely to suggest Mr Cameron should stick to official business rather than using Downing Street for sporting matters - a criticism frequently levelled at Tony Blair when he was in office.