( CNN ) -- Kevin-Prince Boateng has urged football authorities to give referees `` all the power '' in the game 's bid to stamp out racism on and off the pitch . The AC Milan star started something big when he walked off during a friendly match in January in protest at racist abuse from the crowd , and he told CNN he is determined to help bring in even stronger sanctions to combat one of the game 's biggest problems . `` I would give all the power to the referees , '' he said Friday before meeting with the head of football 's governing body to discuss issues of discrimination . `` I would even go so far to say , even if you hear a little bit , and you hear it again , stop the game -- because that 's the only way I think you can make these voices silent . That 's the only way . `` Even maybe put people in the stadium , maybe sit some people in the crowd so that they can hear and see maybe that it 's racial or that it 's very aggressive ... and tell ( the match officials ) what they heard . '' After the meeting with Sepp Blatter in Zurich , FIFA announced that Boateng has been invited to become part of its task force against racism and discrimination . The other members have yet to be named , but Boateng hopes they will be able to lay down strong guidelines to deter racist behavior . `` I hope they are going to wake up tomorrow morning and say , 'Today -- even more . ' And , the next day wake up and say we fight even more against it , '' said Boateng , who on Thursday gave a speech at a United Nations conference in Geneva discussing racism and sport . `` In this moment now we are speaking about it , but to wake up tomorrow morning and do something about it , that 's a different thing . `` Things will change , I 'm very positive about that . We can see the changes already . There are going to be more sanctions -- harder -- and I think this is the right way , I 'm looking forward to that . '' The 26-year-old is still coming to terms with the impact of his actions in January , when his teammates followed him off the pitch . It not only ended the match against Italian fourth division team Pro Patria , but it also sparked worldwide debate about whether it was the right thing to do . `` At the end , after not even 10 minutes , I had like 86 phone calls on my phone and I thought something had happened , but it was just an unbelievable impact . It went all around the world within the first hour , '' Boateng said . `` People were calling me , my agent was calling me , my family members , and I was like , what did I do ? Because for me it was just a situation , I felt I needed to do that -- I was angry and a bit disappointed . But it was just unbelievable how it spread around the world . '' Boateng reiterated his stance that he would do the same again , if it was a top-level European match or even the World Cup final . `` I think we should not accept and tolerate it anywhere , or any game , whether it 's a friendly game or a World Cup final . If I feel this is racial abuse I would even do it in a Champions League final . `` Then of course it 's a different situation , there 's a lot of money involved . Would my teammates all follow me ? I do n't know because it 's a totally different situation , but for my part I would do the same . '' Boateng admitted that when he was younger he had `` ignored '' racist abuse , but now as a father he is determined to make a difference . `` I have a little son -- I 'm taking care of these things because I want my son to grow up in a nice place and not in a place where he has to be confronted by racism , '' he said . Boateng grew up in Berlin and represented Germany at youth level , but switched allegiances to Ghana -- where his father was born . He said earlier in his career he had no faith the football authorities would take effective steps against racism , but has recently been impressed with sanctions -- such as Greek club AEK Athens banning one of its promising young players who made a fascist salute . `` I thought it 's never going to change , maybe they will not ever do enough to fight against it . But now the most recent example we saw of it , I think they are doing much , much better -- that players get banned for playing forever for a club or teams playing without the supporters . `` I think that is the right direction we have to move forward like that and I think then the people will understand . ''
AC ##L player invited to become part of FIFA 's anti - discrimination task force . Kevin - Prince Williams tells CNN that FIFA need more measures to combat racism . He says there will be stronger sanctions from the authorities in the future . Boateng says he is still stunned by worldwide coverage of his protest walkoff .