By GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer
Associated Press Sports
updated 10:27 a.m. ET June 11, 2012
WARSAW, Poland (AP) -UEFA has asked Polish and Ukrainian cities to send police to help prevent any further racist abuse at European Championship team training.
The request, which also calls for offenders to be prosecuted, follows monkey chants targeted at Netherlands players during a session opened to the public in Krakow, Poland.
UEFA said Monday it wrote to host city mayors to take "all effective and necessary measures including an increased police presence."
"A letter was also sent to the sports minister of Poland, Joanna Mucha, to ask for the full support of the Polish authorities in dealing with these important matters," UEFA said in a statement.
Combatting racism in the eight Euro 2012 stadiums, and at 13 team training bases in Poland plus three in Ukraine, has been a central theme of the tournament.
UEFA asked that anyone "engaging in racist behavior be immediately ejected from the stadium and its vicinity, and that criminal proceedings be launched against such individuals."
No one was detained or identified after some people aimed racial insults at Dutch players during a training session last Wednesday watched by 25,000 people at Wisla Krakow's stadium.
Teams typically open the doors to training soon after arriving at a tournament to build goodwill in their host city.
UEFA describes the Krakow case as "an isolated incident," but adds it was "totally incompatible" with its zero-tolerance policy toward discrimination.
"UEFA is nevertheless confident that the local authorities will adequately deal with the issue," the European football body said.
? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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