MILAN: Italian interior minister Annamaria Cancellieri yesterday called for “more incisive” action to be taken to end the abuse of non-white players by racist fans.
Cancellieri was speaking after AC Milan’s Kevin-Prince Boateng last week responded to racist chants by a small group of fans during a friendly against fourth division side Pro Patria by storming off the pitch.
He was followed by his team-mates, prompting a global outpouring of applause for the German-born Ghanaian international’s stance.
Sepp Blatter, the president of world football’s governing body FIFA, hit out at Boateng’s decision to force the suspension of last week’s friendly, setting him at odds with AC Milan owner-president, Italy’s former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Cancellieri said Boateng’s stance was a “nice gesture” but told Radio 24 yesterday that a “more comprehensive strategy” needed to be put in place to avoid games being decided by “a minority of racists”.
“This episode drew attention to a phenomenon which is unfortunately widespread and, as such, we have to be more serious about dealing with it,” Cancellieri said.
Cancellieri suggested that if “only a small group of fans” were involved in racist chanting games “should not be suspended”.
“Fans involved in racist chanting should be hit very hard and must be removed from the stadium,” she said. AFP
