ZURICH: Back on January 3, during a mid-season friendly between Pro Patria and AC Milan, Ghana international Kevin-Prince Boateng became the target of racist chanting from a section of the home crowd.

He reacted by walking off the pitch, with the rest of his team-mates and the AC Milan coaching staff following in support. Their ‘statement’ made headlines around the world.

Now the Milan midfielder has been welcomed to the Home of FIFA in Zurich by president Sepp Blatter to discuss issues of discrimination within the game.

Subsequently he agreed to an invitation from Blatter to join the new FIFA Task Force against Racism and Discrimination.

Blatter said: “We have to work in two directions: First, education, and for that FIFA has a fantastic network through its 209 member associations and its developments and grassroots programs. We need to repeat systematically this same message.

“Besides that, we also need to have sanctions. Pecuniary sanctions are not enough. We have to deduct points or even expel teams from a competition. It’s hard, not everybody is going to agree, but it’s the only way to threaten and stop those that create trouble.”

# # # #