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FIFA president Sepp Blatter urges players not to leave pitch in protest at racist abuse
Baku, January 16 (AZERTAC). FIFA president Sepp Blatter has again urged players not to leave the pitch in protest at racial abuse from fans.
In an interview with Sky Sports News, Blatter praised Kevin-Prince Boateng for leading AC Milan off after being abused during a friendly last week - but he maintains this is not a long-term solution to ending discrimination.
“You remember the Boateng problem, with him running away,” said Blatter. “I made a comment on that and I still have the same feeling.
“It is good what he has done, it is good to have this impact - to say look what has happened - but it cannot be a solution.
“You can never solve any problem in your private life or your economic life by running away.”
“We will make a summit with all the players concerning racism and discrimination. Then there must be a lot of solidarity and understanding. We have to eradicate it.
“It can only be done if all the players are participating, and the players are also the spectators.”
Blatter, whose tenure has been marked by allegations of serial corruption against leading FIFA figures, said he would stand down as promised in 2015 and said Platini may be his successor.
“This [Platini] could be a good possibility,” Blatter told Special Report on Sky Sports News. “I am not so sure that he is willing to go into the position as the FIFA president, he has not declared officially but he could, would, should be a good successor always.”
Of his Olympic boos Blatter said: “This was just a very small boos and stars are always booed so I`m a star, you have to take it this way.
I thought that the public in the Olympic Games, they would be a little bit better educated, some of the fans in football because I have been received with a lot of applause in Newcastle, especially Newcastle, I was received like a hero in Wembley, but it was at the end of the match, it is not so important.”