Yaya Toure: 'Black players could boycott World Cup in Russia'

By Mark Langshaw, Reporter | 24 October 2013

Manchester City's Yaya Toure hints that black players could boycott the World Cup in Russia unless the country clamps down on racism.

Manchester City's Yaya Toure has hinted that black players could boycott the 2018 World Cup in Russia unless the country tightens its stance on racism in football.

The Ivory Coast international claimed that he was subjected to racial abuse during his club's Champions League clash away to CSKA Moscow.

"If we aren't confident at the World Cup, coming to Russia, we don't come," the RIA Novosti news agency quotes him as saying.

Football Against Racism in Europe director Piara Powar, who also serves as a member of FIFA's anti-discriminatory taskforce, has echoed Toure's sentiments.

"Yaya Toure is absolutely right in raising the spectre of African players or players of African heritage not going to the 2018 World Cup - and without them there will not be a World Cup in Russia," he said.

"I wouldn't blame them - in this era players are the most powerful force and if all the players said they are not going there wouldn't be a World Cup, or if there was it would be meaningless."

UEFA is investigating the incident that occurred in Moscow after City lodged an official complaint with the governing body.