Former Arsenal and Manchester United defender Viv Anderson says it's time FIFA were serious about racist chants.
Anderson is urging FIFA to hammer the Italian FA for the racist abuse meted out to Manchester City star Mario Balotelli during an international friendly.
Anderson, who 32 years ago became the first black footballer to represent England in a full international, believes that the Italian is breaking the mould in the same way black English players did back in the 1970s.
"Balotelli is a pioneer like we were," he told the Sunday Mirror. "He will win the crowd over when he scores goals.
"If he scores the winner in a World Cup final that will shut everyone up.
"The late, great Brian Clough once advised me to ignore the racists and not let them get to me.
"If they did, he said, I'd end up working in Sainsbury's.
"Balotelli is only a young man and he is out to make a name for himself. Maybe he would make a name for himself by walking off the pitch when his own fans abuse him.
"But I personally wouldn't do that.
"I'd try to let my football do the talking. But that means that FIFA should now step in and punish the Italian FA.
"Not with the kind of pathetic fines Uefa have given to European clubs after racist incidents. Fines should be more stringent.
"If they fine them a million pounds they would take notice. Then they would try to winkle out the culprits and ban them from their grounds."
