Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has said the abuse he suffered on social media is ‘a disgrace’ and called for world soccer's governing body FIFA to reassess the way they deal with racism.
Greater Manchester Police are investigating claims that the Ivorian was racially abused within hours of re-activating his Twitter account on Monday.
"To have such aggression in sport, I can't understand that. It's a disgrace to be honest," Toure told the BBC.
"We need to do something to try to tell people those kinds of behaviour have to stop. I want those people to understand what they're doing is wrong.
"I've been trying to say to FIFA that they are on the wrong way and what they are doing is not good. We need to do something to close this chapter.
"I've been attacked like that for many years. I will never stop telling them they are wrong and have to change.
"Football doesn't have a colour. Sport is sport. Sport is not violence. Sport is not about being bad with people. Sport is about being healthy and proud of what you are doing."
The police said they had been contacted following complaints that Toure had been targeted after tweeting again following a five-month break.
"GMP can confirm we have received a number of complaints regarding racist tweets directed at Manchester City Football Club player Yaya Toure on Monday 3rd November 2014," a police statement said. "Officers are currently investigating."
The 31-year-old left Twitter to focus on this year's World Cup but within hours of sending his first tweet on the social network site, he was subjected to racist insults, the Anti-Discrimination group Kick It Out said in a statement.
Toure, tweeting about City's derby win over Manchester United on Sunday, wrote: "Great to be back on twitter after a good win yesterday. Now my focus is on the next game... Happy Monday everyone!!"
Cannavaro takes over from Lippi at Guangzhou
Italy's World Cup winning-captain Fabio Cannavaro will replace his former national team coach Marcello Lippi in charge of Chinese champions Guangzhou Evergrande for next season, the club announced on Wednesday.
Lippi, 66, said he would be moving upstairs into a technical director's role for the remainder of the three-year contract he signed in February after leading the club to a fourth straight Chinese Super League title last weekend.
The club unveiled their new coach at a news conference in Guangzhou and Cannavaro posted their statement on his Twitter feed: "Chinese Super League champions Guangzhou Evergrande officially unveiled Fabio Cannavaro as their new coach."
Lippi will retain the title 'head coach' while Cannavaro will be 'executive head coach' and responsible for the day-to-day running of the team, the club said.
Cannavaro, 41, played 136 times for Italy in a glittering playing career and raised the World Cup in Germany in 2006 with Lippi as his coach.
The former Napoli, Parma, Inter Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid central defender finished his playing career at Emirati club Al Ahli and stayed on as a technical consultant after his retirement.
Lippi has won three Chinese Super League titles, the Chinese FA Cup and the 2013 AFC Champions League since taking over at the club two years ago.
Cannavaro's arrival will bring an even more Italian flavour to the club after former Italy internationals Alessandro Diamanti and his former Bologna team mate Alberto Gilardino were purchased this year.
