Holland captain Mark van Bommel has described as a ‘real disgrace’ the racist abuse he says the squad’s black players were subjected to during an open training session in Krakow on Thursday night.
The Oranje players were allegedly targeted by Polish fans as they began their practice session at the Stadion Miejski on Thursday night, with the black members of the squad reportedly subjected to monkey chants.
Van Bommel,
who along with his team-mates visited Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz earlier in the day, responded by leading the Dutch squad to the far side of the pitch, before hitting out at the perpetrators and vowing to take the matter to UEFA.
Quoted in several newspapers, the PSV Eindhoven midfielder said: “It is a real disgrace, especially after getting back from Auschwitz, that you are confronted with this.
“We will take it up with UEFA and if it happens at a match we will talk to the referee and ask him to take us off the field.”
He added: “You need to open your ears. If you did hear it, and don’t want to hear it, that is even worse.”
Instructed
Bert van Marwijk’s side begin their Euro 2012 Group B campaign against Denmark on Saturday.
The issue of racism has been a hot topic in the build-up to the tournament, with UEFA president Michel Platini confirming that referees have been instructed to call a halt to matches at this summer’s tournament if a player is racially taunted.
Yet the Frenchman also warned any player who left the field unilaterally in protest over abuse from the stands would be yellow carded.
Italy and Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli had earlier said he intended to do exactly that if he found himself being racially abused.
SkySports
