AC Milan players walked off during a friendly on Thursday after Ghana international Kevin-Prince Boateng was subjected to racist abuse from fans of fellow Italian side Pro Patria. In June, UEFA President Michel Platini said that any player who walks off the pitch at Euro 2012 because of racist abuse would be booked.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter says that players should not leave the field of play if they are faced with racism.
But Fifa president Sepp Blatter said: “Walk off? That’s not the solution.”
“This is a very touchy subject, but there is zero tolerance of racism in the stadium,” Blatter was reported to have said in the Abu Dhabi-based publication The National.
“The only solution is to be very harsh with the sanctions – and the sanctions must be a deduction of points or something similar.”
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has announced an immediate inquiry.
“If players are receiving sustained abuse on the pitch they should be reporting it to the referee,” he told BBC radio 5 live’s Sportsweek programme.
“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?”