Racism In Football: Cristiano Ronaldo & Pepe Guardiola Speak Out On an evening when history was made as Lionel Messi claimed his fourth consecutive World Player of the Year award, an important issue marring the beautiful game was tackled head-on.
Racism In Football: Cristiano Ronaldo & Pepe Guardiola Speak Out
Published on 01/08/2013 by Web Master
[CNN] — This season, football matches across Europe have been punctuated by repeated outbursts of racism and on January 3, AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng took matters into his own hands after leading his side off the field of play after being subjected to racist abuse.
Ahead of the resumption of the Serie A season that week, the Ghana international was targeted by fans of fourth division side Pro Patria in a friendly during the match along with a number of other black Milan players.
Milan's website reported M'Baye Niang, Urby Emanuelson and Sulley Muntari were the targets of racist abuse.
The game was suspended midway through the first half when Boateng, who was visibly upset by the chanting, picked up the ball and kicked it into the crowd.
After the incident, Boateng tweeted: "Shame that these things still happen... #StopRacismforever."
The 25-year-old ripped off his shirt in disgust before being joined by his teammates and opposition players in walking off the field.
Expressing sympathy for Boateng at yesterday's FIFA Ballon d'Or award ceremony, World Player of the Year finalist Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid and former Barcelona FC coach Pepe Guardiola were, for a brief moment, on the same side - both agreeing that there is no place for racism in football and that publicity that racism gets only fuels the fire. Watch the video below.
