Former Holland captain Ruud Gullit has hit out at UEFA’s diktat that victims of racist abuse who leave the pitch without permission from the referee will be yellow carded.
Writing in the Daily Mail on Saturday, the Dutch legend said players who are targeted for racist abuse should be allowed to make a stand if they feel they are not getting adequate protection from match officials.
It follows confirmation from UEFA president Michel Platini earlier this week that players who took the law into their own hands in the event of racist abuse would be sanctioned for leaving the field of play.
Gullit said the racist abuse meted out to Dutch players at their Krakow training base this week should serve as a warning to authorities.
“The monkey sounds that greeted the Holland team at their training session this week were an embarrassment to the Polish authorities. The problem of racial abuse of footballers is now on everyone’s radar and it has to be dealt with.
“UEFA have given referees the power to stop a game and I am behind that. The problem needs to be tackled straight away, so players shouldn’t just keep quiet and play on like in my day,” said Gullit.
“It has been suggested by the UEFA president Michel Platini that players would be booked for leaving the field as an act of retaliation and defiance. That, in my opinion, is the wrong message.
“If a player is racially insulted, he should have the right to leave the field. I would like to think we can trust referees to take everyone off but, if the officials are not supporting the players correctly, then the individual should act. The message this would send out: ‘we will not tolerate this abuse’.”
Nevertheless Gullit said awareness of racism had improved since his playing days when he was a star and captain of the 1988 European Championship winning side.
“When I played, I received racial abuse but I was just one of a few black players and we weren’t backed up by the authorities,” he said.
“I used to ignore the abuse and felt powerless to change attitudes. My only weapon was my performances on the pitch.
“We are beyond that now though.”