3 Jul 2009Racist chants could lead to referees abandoning games

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Referees will have the power to abandon football matches if fans decide to carry out racial chants within football stadiums, under a new procedure from UEFA.

European football's governing body has decided to employ a three-stop strategy with immediate effect, with referees calling off games as a worst case scenario.

Firstly officials will demand over the public address system that fans stop their racist behaviour; if the problem persists players will be sent to dressing rooms for ten minutes and further continuation will lead to postponement.

UEFA president Michel Platini said: "Our policy on racism is one of zero tolerance.

"It was necessary to give the pitch people the means to do something, and we have determined the parameters and lines of conduct, whereby in important cases of racist behaviour in a stadium, a referee must stop the match."

Platini first suggested plans of this nature earlier this year after Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli was the target of racial abuse during a game with Juventus.

Back in 2004 a number of England footballers were also targeted by fans during a friendly with Spain at Real Madrid's Bernabeu stadium.

Written by Craig Kemp

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