FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura says the strongest message football players can send to fans who are racially abusing them is to walk off the field of play.
Ms Samoura's comments came amid a worrying spate of racist incidents which have put pressure on world football's governing body to do more to combat all forms of discrimination.
In March, the England national team confronted racist abuse during a Euro 2020 qualifying match in Montenegro, and Juventus' teenage striker Moise Kean encountered monkey chants from opposition fans last month.
Juventus' teenage striker Moise Kean endured monkey chants from opposition fans last month. Source: AAP
"I think to step out of the field, from players, would be a very strong message," Ms Samoura told CNN Sport's Amanda Davies.
"But I'm not in their shoes, they're doing it to earn their living. But I think one day it will happen."
European football governing bodies, including FIFA and UEFA, are also coming under greater scrutiny from high-profile players calling for tougher sanctions on racist incidents.
In particular, England and Manchester City star Raheem Sterling has criticized the game for not adequately dealing with racism. Mr Sterling called for more than tokenistic displays at the Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything Festival in New York on Tuesday.
"If you know your team is going to get deducted nine points, you are not going to say these racist remarks even though you shouldn't have it in your head," he said.
Manchester City star Raheem Sterling calls for tougher action to deal with racism in the sport, May 2019. Source: Getty Images
Australian football confronts racism
At the end of last year, Western Sydney Wanderers player Roly Bonevacia claimed that he was racially abused by a supporter during Boxing Day’s match against Adelaide United.
Football Federation Australia (FFA) said they would investigate the allegation.
“FFA condemns any form of racist or non-inclusive remarks and will not tolerate it at any time,” it said.
The incident occurred a month after Brisbane Roar goalkeeper Jamie Young was called a “monkey” by a member of the crowd during the Brisbane Roar and Western Sydney Wanderers game.
Brisbane Roar goalkeeper Jamie Young confronted racist slurs by a Sydney Wanderers fan at the end of last year. Source: AAP
Mr Young responded to the racist taunt by meeting the spectator’s gaze. But the Wanderers fan demonstrated no remorse and instead repeated the racist slur.
The club expressed their opposition to the act on Twitter.
Calls for tougher sanctions
Born in Senegal, Ms Samoura became the first woman, and the first non-European, to hold an executive post at FIFA.
Since taking office in June 2016, the UN diplomat has striven to help improve world football's governing body and tackle big issues like racism where she recognises there is a lot of work to be done.
"Every single incident now is taking a bigger amplitude, which is normal," she said.
"There are idiots in life. There are people who think that they want a world where everybody is the same and I think this is totally wrong."
FIFA General Secretary believes more needs to be done to combat racism in the game. Source: Getty Images
As part of its "zero tolerance" approach to racism, FIFA launched the "three-step procedure" in 2017 which gives referees the authority to stop, suspend or abandon games due to racist chanting within the stadium.
But football's governing bodies have faced questions as to whether post-match sanctions are strong enough punishment following discrimination incidents.
"It's a shame on society for people to accept it," Ms Samoura said, criticising how acceptance normalises racist behaviour.
"More and more people think that having people behaving non-sportingly is something that we, as a society, can accept and this should not be the case."
The FIFA secretary general believes sanctions need to be combined with communications, education and demonstrations to bring a solution to this issue.
"We have all to pull our efforts together to make it happen. But racism has been as old as any other evil in society, and it's for everybody to combat and to fight it."
Ms Samoura says she has not yet experienced any direct discrimination herself but believes her own appointment would have been disapproved of by some.
"I'm sure in the eyes of some people I was not supposed to be there. But they have to deal with it," she said.
"And the fact that I'm here with my UN background, they better not play that game with me."
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