Boateng: Racism in football hasn´t been solved at all

Kevin-Prince Boateng says the problem of racism within football “hasn’t been solved at all” and has backed players’ rights to leave the pitch if they suffer abuse.

Boateng infamously kicked a ball at Pro Patria fans in response to racist chanting before walking off and causing the 2013 mid-season friendly to be abandoned.

The issue of racism in Italy has been brought into sharp focus recently, after Sulley Muntari was shown two yellow cards by referee Daniele Minelli for confronting Cagliari fans who had allegedly abused him and then walking off the pitch in protest.

Muntari will serve a one-match ban, while Cagliari have avoided punishment, with Serie A’s disciplinary committee citing the supposed low number of dissenters as key to the decision.

Speaking before the Muntari incident, but referencing abuse Nice striker Mario Balotelli had suffered against Bastia in January, Ghana international Boateng does not believe the issue is taken seriously enough.

Las Palmas star Boateng told Omnisport: “I would walk off the pitch again if I was racially abused by fans.

“People just care about these incidents on the same week it happens, but then it’s not important. The issue hasn’t been solved at all. 

“It happened again with Balotelli in France. Nothing changed.”