Kevin-Prince Boateng to set up 'racism task force' to tackle Serie A discrimination
Boateng: "I'm sick, people don't understand how Balotelli, Boateng or Koulibaly feel when they get home. I get crazy when I hear comments like 'five million, so much you earn', there are scars on you that you can't erase."
Thursday 21 November 2019 15:32, UK
Kevin-Prince Boateng says he aims to help tackle discrimination in Serie A by setting up a "racism task force" in 2020.
Several incidents of racist abuse have occurred in Serie A this season as well as last term, with Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku, ex-Juventus forward Moise Kean and Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly among those targeted.
Most recently, Brescia forward Mario Balotelli kicked a ball towards Hellas Verona fans after home supporters directed slurs towards the former Manchester City and Liverpool striker during an Italian top-flight game.
- Mancini: I'll call up Balotelli on merit
- Ronaldo subbed off, leaves game early
- Discriminatory chants halt Roma v Napoli
Verona banned a supporter following the incident, while Brescia ultras released a statement defending their Verona counterparts and labelling Balotelli as "arrogant".
AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie was also racially targeted by the same club's supporters in September.
Former Ghana international Boateng told Corriere Della Sera: "I'll do it in 2020. I'm organising my task force with events, involving other players.
"I'm sick, people don't understand how Balotelli, Boateng or Koulibaly feel when they get home. We are alone. I get crazy when I hear comments like 'five million, so much you earn', there are scars on you that you can't erase."
In 2013, a pre-season friendly between Boateng's former side AC Milan and fourth-tier team Pro Patria was abandoned after 26 minutes, with opposition supporters targeting the 32-year-old, leading the then-captain Massimo Ambrosini to lead his players off of the field.
Gabriele Gravina, president of the Italian FA, says that Serie A will begin employing VAR cameras in a bid to identify fans who are found to be involved in racist chanting or gestures in stadiums.
Boateng believes that footballing authorities need to start employing harsher sanctions in order to tackle the continuing abuse.
The former Portsmouth forward added: "The situation has worsened [since then]. At the time we played a friendly match, now such behaviour should be repeated if necessary in a championship match.
"Compared to then, even more money is running and more and more children are watching us. We need more drastic measures.
"Disqualification of the camp, companies must pay for the behaviour of their fans. And then in the stadiums, more cameras should be installed to identify those who perform certain gestures.
"In any case, we players should ensure greater peace of mind for the referee, so that even in the face of pressure from the public in certain circumstances he has the strength to say "you don't play anymore."
