By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
January 7 – After being targeted by racist chanting in a winter break domestic friendly against lower-league Pro Patria, Milan’s German-born Ghanian Kevin-Prince Boateng reacted by storming off the pitch followed by the entire Milan team.
The game was abandoned after 26 minutes and the Italian authorities have launched an immediate inquiry. The gesture was widely supported by fellow players and politicians but FIFA President Sepp Blatter (pictured) says it was not the ideal approach because it set a precedent.
“Walk off? No. I don’t think that is the solution,” he told the Dubai-based English-language National newspaper.
“I don’t think you can run away because then the team should have to forfeit the match. This issue is a very touchy subject, but I repeat there is zero tolerance of racism in the stadium.”
Although the game in question was only a friendly, it was the latest outbreak of an increasingly worrying trend. AC Milan’s players carried anti-racism messages on their shirts prior to Sunday’s Serie A match against Siena.
“The only solution is to be very harsh with the sanctions – and the sanctions must be a deduction of points or something similar,” said Blatter.
In June, just before Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine, UEFA president Michel Platini warned any players walking off the pitch because of racist abuse would be booked.
But Boateng’s move – whether right or wrong – will have sent a clear message to the authorities that players are fully prepared to make a stand and halt proceedings if they take offence at what is being chanted.
In an interview with CNN, Boateng said FIFA was not doing enough. “So many people in FIFA can do something and they should wake up and do it. They should not tolerate it,” he said. “They should ban people forever from the stadiums. That’s the first thing you can do.”
English Football Association general secretary Alex Horne said referees should be the initial arbiters whenever there are
instances of racist abuse.
“If players are receiving sustained abuse on the pitch they should be reporting it to the referee,” he told BBC radio’s
Sportsweek programme.
“The players, through the captain, should be reporting it to the referee. The referee should be taking the players off the pitch and warning the crowds that they should desist with their abuse, and ultimately there’s a sanction there if the fans don’t listen to that.
“If the players feel the referee isn’t dealing with it then I can understand why they walk off the pitch. Why should you have
to tolerate that in this day and age?”
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