Silvio Berlusconi says AC Milan will walk off pitch again if confronted by racism
Owner says he will continue to back the tough line players have taken against racist abuse
AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi has pledged that his team will walk off the pitch again to support a player who was the victim of racist abuse by fans, as the move was widely hailed as setting a precedent against bigotry.
Italy's former prime minister, who is both president and owner of the club, spoke out after German-born Ghanaian forward Kevin-Prince Boateng was heckled during a friendly by fans of Pro Patria and the Milan giants left the field in protest.
Boateng won plaudits for taking a stance against racist fans who blight the game, although some, including former Milan players Gennaro Gattuso and Clarence Seedorf, questioned his approach.
Berlusconi, however, said he would back his team if they walked off the pitch again whether in domestic or continental matches, calling the scenes at fourth-tier Pro Patria, who are based in Busto Arsizio, near Milan, "disgraceful".
"I can assure you that in every game, if we experience episodes of this nature we will, as a rule, leave the pitch," Berlusconi said.
Players and sports commentators said Boateng's protest had highlighted a problem that had been tolerated for too long in Italian stadiums and continued to dog some parts of the European game.
Damiano Tommasi, head of the Italian players' union Assocalciatori, told La Repubblica: "It's a strong, important signal that finally sets a precedent. It's good that it comes from first-rate players, who are usually accused of being less sensitive or less willing to make a stand."