(CNN) -- Leading international soccer player Kevin-Prince Boateng, who plays for one of Europe's top clubs, insists he will walk off in a competitive game if he is subjected to further racist abuse.
European football's reputation has been tarnished by the scourge of racism this season but on Thursday matters came to head when AC Milan star Boateng kicked the ball into the stand and walked off after a group of fans had directed monkey chants at the Ghanian international and three of his teammates during a friendly match in northern Italy.
"I don't care what game it is -- a friendly, Italian league or Champions League match -- I would walk off again," the German-born Boateng told CNN in an exclusive interview on Friday.
The 25-year-old ripped off his shirt in disgust during the first half of Thursday's friendly against lower league Italian side Pro Patria, before being joined by his teammates and opposition players in walking off the pitch.
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"I'm sad and angry that I'm the one that has to take action," added the AC Milan midfielder, who has also played in the German and English Premier Leagues during his career.
"All the people who support me would support me in a big game. Players like Rio Ferdinand and Patrick Vieira have supported me and I just want to say thank you."
Milan, who have won the Italian title 18 times and the European Cup (now known as the Champions League) seven times, were using the friendly to prepare their side for the resumption of the league -- Serie A -- season after a brief winter break.
During the friendly match, the AC Milan midfielder had told the referee three times he was being abused.
"If it happens again I'm not going to play anymore," said Boateng, who was born in Berlin. "The referee said: 'Don't worry' but I said I do worry, it's not very nice.
"I was angry and I was sad, but it all came together and I said I don't want to play anymore. There were so many negative emotions that came up with me.
"I'm surprised we're still hearing these things in 2013. It's not the first time in my life that I've heard these things, but I'm 25 now and I've had enough this bulls***."
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Several of Boateng's teammates -- M'Baye Niang, Urby Emanuelson and Sulley Muntari -- were also targeted by the monkey chanting fans.
"I think we should not say all the time that we didn't hear it, or go home and say I didn't hear nothing," said Boateng, explaining why he decided to walk off.
"We have to stop, look, and open our eyes. It was 100% racist and had nothing to do with football; it had nothing to do with our team playing against them like a rivalry and that is why I acted like that."
England midfielder Danny Rose claims he was subjected to monkey chants before, during and after the second-leg of their Under-21 Euro 2013 playoff match against Serbia on Tuesday, and had stones thrown at him by the crowd in Krusevac. Fans also ran on to the pitch and scuffles broke out after a 1-0 win secured England qualification for Euro 2013.
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Italian prosecutors will press charges of inciting racial hatred against at least one person over the abuse that was directed at the Milan players.
Police and stadium cameras have identified a 20-year-old man and prosecutors expect more people will face charges, prosecutor Mirko Monti told CNN.
And Boateng called on football's regulators to take a stronger stance in combating racism.
"There are so many people, FIFA or whatever, that can do something against this. They should wake up and do it.
"If there is a racism those people should be banned from the stadium forever. They should not even enter the stadium anymore. Never again. That's the first thing they can do.
"We have to open our eyes, open our ears, listen to everything, see everything, and react on that."
Earlier Milan club president Silvio Berlusconi and former Italian Prime Minister had warned that the Serie A team will leave the pitch if they are faced with further anti-social behavior.
Berlusconi has already called Boateng to congratulate him on his stance in the Pro Patria friendly.
The Italian Football Association is also to investigate the incident.
"No sanction or measure can erase the disdain for an unspeakable and intolerable episode," said president of the Italian FA Giancarlo Abete in a statement.
"We must react with force and without silence to isolate the few criminals that transformed a friendly match into an uproar that offends all of Italian football."
This season matches across Europe have been punctuated by repeated outbursts of racism.
Ahead of the European Championship finals in Poland and Ukraine last summer, UEFA president Michel Platini had urged players to allow the referee to deal with the problem of racist abuse, and stressed that officials could stop games if necessary.
Boateng spent a sleepless night after his walkout, but promised to carry on his campaign to highlight the abuse he could experience in the future.
"I love the game so much that I would never quit football because of some stupid people."
After playing at youth level for Germany, Boateng decided to represent Ghana.
During the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Boateng featured for Ghana in group game against Germany, with his brother Jerome playing for the European side in their 1-0 win.
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The Macedonia FA were fined $26,000 after fans racially abused England trio Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell and Emile Heskey during a qualifying game for Euro 2004.
In September 2011, Bulgaria were fined $55,000 after a small number of fans directed monkey chants at England's Ashley Young, Cole and Theo Walcott during a Euro 2012 qualifier in Sofia.
Russia was hit with a $38,000 punishment after supporters made monkey noises towards Czech Republic defender Theodor Gebre Selassie during Euro 2012
The Croatian FA were ordered to pay a $16,000 fine after their fans were found guilty of "displaying a racist banner and showing racist conduct during the Euro 2008 quarter-final tie against Turkey.
Russia were again in the news for the wrong reasons at Euro 2012 and were fined $39,00 for "the setting off and throwing of fireworks by Russia spectators, displaying of illicit banners and the invasion of the pitch by a supporter," during the Euro 2012 tie against Poland. Russia was also fined $155,000 after clashes between supporters and police during and after their game against the Czech Republic.
Denmark's Nicklas Bendtner was given a one-match ban and a $126,000 fine after he lifted his shirt to reveal a betting company's logo on his underwear while celebrating a goal against Portugal in a Euro 2012 group game.
Porto were hit by a $27,000 fine after their fans were found guilty of subjecting Manchester City forward Mario Balotelli to monkey chants during a Europa League game in February 2012. It took UEFA six weeks to finally hand out a punishment. But questions were raised after UEFA also fined City $40,000 after the club were found guilty of coming back out on to the field of play late after the halftime interval.
Each season anti-discrimination organisation Kick it Out holds a week of action to promote awareness about its anti-racism work. But Reading's Grenadian striker Jason Roberts, who has played in England for the last 15 years, has said he will not wear the Kick It Out T-shirt in protest at what he perceives to be the campaign group's lack of action in combating racism in football.
Lazio was hit with a $52,000 fine by UEFA following racist chanting by its supporters during the Europa League fixture with Tottenham last month. But leading figures within the games say it is time for clubs and countries to be banned from playing matches if they are found guilty of racist abuse.
On Thursday, Chelsea captain John Terry opted not to appeal the English Football Association's verdict that he racially abused Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand.
It is now nearly a year since Chelsea lost to QPR 1-0 in an English Premier League game at Loftus Road. During the game it was alleged QPR defender Ferdinand swore at Terry and made reference to the Chelsea captain's reported affair with the ex-partner of former team-mate Wayne Bridge. Terry is then said to have described Ferdinand as a "f***ing black c***".
In July, Terry was cleared in a London court, where the criminal burden of proof is "beyond all reasonable doubt".
But the English Football Association then investigated the case, and using the test of "on the balance of probabilities", came to the conclusion that Terry's defence against claims he racially abused Ferdinand was "improbable, implausible, contrived". In September, Ferdinand declined Terry's offer of a handshake when QPR met Chelsea at Loftus Road as the feud between the two players rumbled on.
After an independent commission's report on the Terry case, the Chelsea captain's teammate Ashley Cole tweeted: "Hahahahaa, well done #fa I lied did I, #BUNCHOFT***S". The Chelsea and England left-back quickly issued a "unreserved apology" for his tweet through his solicitor, but he was fined $145,000 by the FA.
In 2011 the FA had to deal with another racism case, this time handing Liverpool striker Luis Suarez an eight-match ban and a $63,000 fine after finding the Uruguayan guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.
Suarez and Evra failed to shake hands before the start of an English Premier League game at Old Trafford last season after the Uruguayan had served his ban. However, when United beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield in September, the pair did shake hands.
The last year has proved uncomfortable for the FA and questions have been raised over the differing punishments handed out to Terry and Suarez.
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