CHELSEA PLAYER TAMMY Abraham has indicated England’s players will walk off the pitch if they are subjected to racist abuse during their upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers.
The Three Lions play the Czech Republic in Prague on Friday before a clash with Bulgaria on Monday in a partially closed stadium, following racist behaviour from fans in qualifying matches against the Czech Republic and Kosovo in June.
England manager Gareth Southgate had called a team meeting to discuss what action the players would take if there was a repeat of the abuse.
European football’s governing body Uefa has a three-step protocol for racist abuse which can lead to the referee halting or abandoning a game, and Abraham says England’s players are prepared to take matters into their own hands if required.
“Harry Kane said that if it happens and we’re not happy with it, we speak to the player and if he’s not happy, we all come off the pitch together,” Abraham told the BBC.
It’s a team thing. Don’t isolate one person, we’re a whole team. If it happens to one of us, it happens to all of us.
“Harry Kane did ask the question about instead of going through the three steps if we decide that we want to stop the game — no matter what the score is — if we’re not happy with it as a team we’ll decide whether or not to stay on the pitch.”
England will be hoping to continue their fine start to qualifying having collected maximum points from their first four matches in Group A.
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