Netherlands to Report Racists Chants

Concerns over potential racism from fans at Euro 2012 came to the forefront Thursday when black players for the Netherlands heard monkey chants at an open training session, one day before the tournament opens.

According to a report in British newspaper The Guardian, hundreds of the 25,000 people in attendance in Krakow, Poland, targeted players Nigel de Jong and Gregory van der Wiel with monkey noises and loud jeers.

After hearing the chants, the players moved their drills to the other side of the stadium.

"It is a real disgrace especially after getting back from Auschwitz that you are confronted with this," Dutch captain Mark van Bommel told The Guardian. "We will take it up with UEFA and if it happens at a match we will talk to the referee and ask him to take us off the field."

The Dutch squad visited the site of the former Auschwitz concentration camp Wednesday.

"At least now we know what we can encounter," the Netherlands coach, Bert van Marwijk, told The Guardian. "Very atmospheric."

UEFA, the governing body of FIFA in Europe, later denied that chants were racially motivated, and reported the Dutch squad said it was not racist is nature, according to The Guardian.

UEFA said the crowd was protesting that Krakow was not one of the host cities for the Europe's largest international tournament, which begins Friday.

"You need to open your ears," Van Bommel told The Guardian about UEFA's response. "If you did hear it, and don't want to hear it, that is even worse."

On Wedneday, UEFA president Michel Platini promised that referees will stop matches if players suffer abuse from fans, as questions on racism in Poland and Ukraine dominated a news conference Wednesday to launch the tournament.

Concern was fueled by a British television program last week showing discrimination and violent incidents at recent club matches in the co-host nations.

Four years ago, UEFA fined the Croatia national association $19,600 for its fans' neo-Nazi flags and chants during a Euro 2008 quarterfinals loss against Turkey in Vienna, Austria.