Platini calls for ´zero-tolerance´ approach to racism

UEFA president Michel Platini on Tuesday called for a “zero-tolerance” approach to racism in European football, on the first day of UEFA’s two-day executive committee meeting here.

“The UEFA president proposed that strong and decisive action, in line with his ‘zero-tolerance’ approach, should be taken in accordance with law five of the game’s rules, which permits the referee to suspend or abandon a match due to outside interference,” a UEFA statement read.

The executive committee will examine the practical consequences of the application of this rule during its next meeting on July 1-2 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The committee also awarded the 2011 men’s under-19 European Championship to Romania and the tournament’s female equivalent to Italy.