Netherlands captain Georginio Wijnaldum has warned that if any of his players is subjected to abuse in their upcoming UEFA European Championship clash in Hungary, his team may walk off the pitch.
Hungarian fans are reportedly under investigation for alleged instances of homophobic and racial abuse that occurred in two separate Group F fixtures at the Puskas Arena.
Former Liverpool midfielder Wijnaldum, who will captain the Netherlands against the Czech Republic in Budapest on Sunday evening, has now declared that he and his teammates are ready to leave the field if they are subjected to any form of abuse.
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"UEFA should be there to protect the players and make the decision, it should not be left to the players," he said when asked how he would react if he or one of his players is subjected to racial abuse, according to ESPN.
"Players often get punished for protecting themselves so UEFA needs to take a lead role in this.
"I have said I don't really know how I will react in such a situation. I thought, first, that I would walk off the pitch, but maybe not now because maybe the opponent will think: 'Let them [in the crowd] throw racist slurs and they will walk off the pitch.'
"It could be the case that I will walk off the pitch, but I will speak with the players about it first."
Wijnaldum will also be joining Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer in using a rainbow-coloured armband featuring the words "One Love" – a token of support for the LGBTQ community – in his next few matches.
"It is not just against Hungary. The armband means a lot because we stand for diversity – one love means everybody is a part of it and everybody should be free to be who they are," he added.
"In our opinion, [the right to be yourself] has been encroached upon. As players, we have a podium to do whatever we can to help."
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