FIFA presidential candidate Luis Figo said on Thursday that Arrigo Sacchi’s comments about black players and an incident involving Chelsea fans in Paris emphasised the need for “zero-tolerance” towards racism.

Former AC Milan coach Sacchi claimed earlier this week that there were “too many blacks” in Italian youth football.

Meanwhile, French and British police are investigating amateur video footage showing Chelsea fans pushing a black man off a metro train in Paris and then chanting: “We’re racist, we’re racist, and that’s the way we like it!”

Speaking at the launch of his campaign for the FIFA presidency in London, Figo said: “Concerning racism, there should be zero-tolerance.

“Not just given the statements some people have made, and not just because of the chanting in Paris. This is something that shouldn’t happen at all in sports.

“We live in a global, international world and we have to integrate everybody, regardless of race or colour and we have to take measures for those who break the law.”

Figo is standing against incumbent Sepp Blatter, Dutch football chief Michael van Praag and FIFA vice-president for Asia Prince Ali bin Al Hussein in the FIFA presidential election on May 29.