Racism in football: Fifa's Gianni Infantino calls for harsh sanctions

Danny Rose was subjected to racist abuse while playing for England against Montenegro last month

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has urged football bodies, leagues and clubs to "apply harsh sanctions" and a "zero-tolerance approach" to racism.

"Racism has no place in football," said Infantino. "In recent days, it has been very sad to see a number of racist incidents in football. This is really not acceptable."

Infantino urged all football bodies to adopt the so-called "three-step procedure", which allows referees to stop, suspend or abandon games because of racist chanting.

The procedure is already in use in Britain, and in all Fifa and Uefa competitions.

The statement from Infantino continued: "Fifa stands together with Prince Gouano, Kalidou Koulibaly, Raheem Sterling and Danny Rose, as well as any other player, coach, fan or participant in a football match who has suffered from racism, whether at the highest professional level or in a school playground.

"Racism needs to end. Full stop."

After Rose and other England players were racially abused by fans in Montenegro last month, Football Association chairman Greg Clarke questioned whether the three-step protocol could be improved.

He said: "The protocol asks the referee to stop the match if 'racist behaviour is of a strong magnitude and intensity'. I don't now think that is good enough and we should take this opportunity to revisit these thresholds.

"There should be no judgement call on whether something is of a strong magnitude. Racism is racism."