Kevin-Prince Boateng demands team forfeit matches for fan racism

Kevin-Prince Boateng called on Wednesday for football teams be forced to forfeit matches when their fans racially abuse players, after Mike Maignan was targeted by Udinese supporters at the weekend.

Udinese will have to play a home match behind closed doors as punishment for abuse of France goalkeeper Maignan which led to Saturday’s defeat by AC Milan being halted for five minutes.

But Boateng, who in 2013 famously walked off the field after being racially abused during a friendly at lower league team Pro Patria, called that sanction “a joke”.

“No-one cares about an empty stadium. The fans will watch that match on the television and then go back to the ground the following game as if nothing has happened,” said Boateng in an interview with Gazzetta Dello Sport.

“If their team loses however, they’re hit where it hurts… If the sanctions aren’t harsh, nothing will change.”

Udinese banned for life a man found to have repeatedly shouted racist remarks at Maignan, and Boateng thinks that is a move in the right direction.

“It was a big gesture, especially as they didn’t wait for a ruling to come down before they took action,” said Boateng.

“They’ve done something significant because the next time it happens, the club in question can’t do any less, if anything they’ll have to do more.

“After that, I say match forfeited right after the first incidence of racism.”