( CNN ) -- The head of European football has told players not to walk off the pitch if they are racially abused , saying any decision to stop a match should be left to the referee . UEFA president Michel Platini 's comments come just one week after AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli , who was subjected to `` monkey chants '' in a recent match against Roma , told CNN he would leave the pitch if he was abused in future . Balotelli 's teammate Kevin-Prince Boateng walked off the field during an exhibition match against a fourth division team in January and while Platini support 's Boateng 's decision , it is a situation he is keen not to see repeated . `` It 's not a matter for the player to regulate the game and to stop the game ; it 's a matter for the referee , '' Platini , who has been president of European football 's governing body since 2007 , told CNN in an exclusive interview . `` It 's not normal that people in 2013 are being insulted about their color , about the difference of color . It 's not normal . It 's very tough for the player on the field . '' But Platini fears that if a team is `` not happy '' and is losing a match its players could decide to leave the field for reasons that might having nothing to do with racist abuse . On Thursday , UEFA announced a raft of new racism regulations -- part closures of stadiums , match abandonments and full stadium closures in the event of discriminatory chanting . Clubs would be handed a fine of $ 65,000 , a figure which has drawn criticism as being too meager for football teams which are multi-million dollar businesses . But Platini defended the severity of that financial sanction . `` It 's not a question of money , '' explained the Frenchman , who said clubs are often left in a difficult position when trying to deal with fans who attend games armed with political agendas . In the past Platini has also faced criticism for his stance on goal-line technology ( GLT ) , with the Frenchman often portrayed as a `` luddite '' for opposing the use of a system which FIFA has embraced . GLT debuted at last year 's Club World Cup and is set for another run out in June 's FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil . But the 57-year-old Platini defended his position , insisting money should be spent on developing the game at grassroots level rather than GLT . `` It will cost me $ 67 million to have GLT , '' continued Platini , who was crowned European Footballer of the Year in 1984 . `` I have to put it in all the games in the Champions League and all the games in the Europa League . I have to put it in Kazakhstan , in Manchester and in Turkey . `` It costs me $ 67 million , for one goal , two goals a year ? I prefer to invest that for the use football in the grassroots . '' Championed as a possible successor to FIFA president Sepp Blatter at the next election in 2015 , Platini would not be drawn on whether he has ambitions to succeed the 77-year-old Swiss . `` He will be 79 , '' said Platini . referring to how old Blatter will be at FIFA 's next presidential elections . `` If he thinks it 's time to stop , it 's up to him . '' If Platini does succeed Blatter as head of football 's global governing body , one item on his agenda will be the 2022 World Cup in Qatar , particularly with regard to what time of the year that tournament should be staged . Fears have been raised over playing the tournament in its usual June-July slot , which would see players compete in high temperatures . Platini has long been an advocate of playing the tournament in the European winter , a proposal which has been met with staunch opposition as it would disrupt the traditional season for Europe 's major leagues . `` If I am president of FIFA or not president of FIFA , '' declared Platini , `` I will always support we have to play in winter . ''
Michel Platini urges players not to walk off the pitch if racially abused . The UEFA president insists the decision to stop a match is with ##held . The president also maintains his stance against goal - line technology . Platini remains behind the Qatar World Cup in 2022 being played in winter .