The Italian football federation (FIGC) has moved to clamp down on racism in the sport after supporters of Hellas Verona taunted Black Stars striker Asamoah Gyan during a league game.

The Black Stars striker is the latest African player to be caught in the racism trap after UEFA stepped up efforts to rid the sport of such acts.

The Italian football federation hit Verona hard by banning fans of Verona from their next match.

Verona would thus have to play without their fans in an empty stadium in their next game but have appealed the ban.

Amoah joins the growing list of African players in Europe who have suffered from racist abuse.

Cameroon?s Samuel Eto Fil?s threatened to leave the pitch after suffering racial abuse from the crowd during a match between Barcelona and Real Zaragoza.

The threat by Eto put the issue of racism in Spanish football squarely back on the agenda.

Zaragoza were fined ?600 by the Spanish Football Federation last season after a section of their supporters directed abuse at Eto'o and were this time again handed a ?9,000.

UEFA has underlined that it is doing all it can in the fight against racism, in response to accusations that it has not taken the issue seriously.