LONDON, United Kingdom – Wales captain Gareth Bale would back his players
if they ever left the pitch in protest at racist abuse as the Real Madrid
forward demanded serial offenders be kicked out of international football.
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The behaviour of fans is in the spotlight after Hungary
supporters subjected England duo Raheem Sterling and Jude Bellingham to monkey
chants and other racist taunts during Thursday's World Cup qualifier in Budapest.
FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings over the
incidents, with England players also barraged with paper cups thrown from the
crowd and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Bellingham calling for "proper
punishments".
It has been suggested that players could walk off the field
in future if the authorities fail to combat racist behaviour and
Bale would not
rule out Wales taking that action.
"If things don't get sorted that will happen,"
Bale said ahead of Wales' qualifier against Belarus in Russia on Sunday.
"If we felt we weren't getting protection and being
treated the right way by the governing bodies, and the only way to get the best
response was to walk off, I'd be fully for it.
"Football qualifiers are important, but these matters
come way and above football.
"We haven't discussed it. But we'd have that
discussion if it happened and we'd all agree on it as we're a team that sticks
together and if anyone is being targeted we'll do the right thing."
Wales have encountered racism on their travels to Eastern
Europe in the past, and Bale said repeat offenders should be banned from
international competition.
"I don't know the severity of what to do but the
easiest thing is, whether you ban the fans from the stadium or if they keep
repeatedly doing it, which seems to be what is happening, then you ban the
country from the competition," Bale said.
"If that country keeps making these horrible gestures,
then maybe the best thing to do is to get rid of them, give them a suspension
and hopefully they will learn their lesson that way.
"It's frustrating. I don't know why they launch these
investigations that take so long when it is clear to see. Action should be
taken to stop it."
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