Udinese midfielder Emanuel Agyemang Badu has jumped in support of Garth Crooks’ call on players to boycott this weekend’s matches in the Italian Serie A in support of Sulley Muntari’s action against racism.
The former Tottenham forward jumped in support of Sulley after he walked off the pitch in a game between Cagliari and Pescara when he was racially abused by some fans of the home side.
Muntari has been handed a match ban after his protest against the racist abuse he received from the crowd during the game, which earned him a yellow card for dissent before he walked off.
Crooks in an interview with the BBC called on all black players in the Serie A to boycott this weekend’s matches to send a strong signal to Italian football authorities as an attempt to fighting the racial canker.
"I'm calling on players in Italy, black and white, to make it absolutely clear to the federation in Italy that their position is unacceptable, and if the decision is not reversed then they withdraw their services until it is,” Crooks told the BBC.
And Agyemang Badu has thrown his weight behind Crooks call.
“He is very right,” Badu said.
“How can such thing happen and you give a match ban to the player again?
The Black Stars midfielder then suggested that the ban must be withdrawn since the leadership of Cagliari has apologized and Pescara have issued a statement on the issue.
“Once the Cagliari president has apologised and Pescara have issued a statement, they must withdraw his ban,” he argued.
Many top international bodies including FIFPro, UN and the PFAG have hit hard at the Italian football authorities for their decision to ban Muntari and it is expected that the decision will be overturned.