Ghanaian midfielder Sulley Muntari says he would walk off the pitch again, adding that Fifa and Uefa are “not taking racism seriously”.
The Pescara player, 32, was sent off after leaving the field claiming he was racially abused during a Serie A game.
In a BBC interview, the ex-Portsmouth player claims racism is “everywhere and getting worse”, and encourages players to go on strike to combat it.
“I went through hell, I was treated just like a criminal,” he said.
“I went off the field because I felt it wasn’t right for me to be on the field while I have been racially abused,” he told BBC Sport’s David Ornstein.
Muntari was initially banned for one game after asking referee Daniele Minelli to stop the Italian top-flight game at Cagliari on 30 April.
The ex-Ghana international was instead booked for dissent in the 89th minute, prompting him to leave the pitch in protest, and he then received another yellow card.
He angrily confronted Cagliari fans, shouting: “This is my colour.”
Muntari had the one-match ban overturned after the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) said it had considered the “particular delicacy” of the case.
He says he would walk off the pitch again if he was racially abused and he has urged other players to do the same.
“If I had this problem today, tomorrow or the next game I would go off again,” he said.
“And I’d recommend it to others. If they are not feeling it they should walk off.”
Italian football’s reputation around the world has been damaged by the incident, said FIGC anti-racism advisor Fiona May before Muntari’s suspension had been reversed.
Meanwhile, Juventus’ Morocco defender Medhi Benatia cut short a post-match television interview on Sunday after claiming to hear a racist insult in his earpiece.
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.
