Football players in the Netherlands to protest against racism following the Ahmad Mendes Moreira incident 

Football players in the Netherlands will not play the first minute of their matches this weekend as a sign of protest against racism, the BBC has reported.

Players in the top 2 football divisions in the Netherlands will not play the first minute of their weekend games

Players in the Eredivisie and Eerste Divisie will stand still during the first minute of their weekend games while a message reading, 'Racism? Then we don't play football', will appear on the scoreboards. An extra-minute will be added to injury time in the first half to make up for the time.

The decision comes days after racist chants were hurled at Excelsior Rotterdam striker Ahmad Mendes Moreira by a section of Den Bosch fans during their Eerste Divisie clash on Sunday. The game was suspended for half an hour after the referee decided to take the players off the pitch.

Dutch football authorities have since opened an investigation into the incident and will study camera footage to establish what happened. That incident highlights a worrying trend in football today, with several players subjected to racial abuse in the last few months.

I’m sick and tired to see these images over and over! When is it going to stop!!? #SayNoToRacism @KNVB @OnsOranje @UEFA what we going to do? Specially with the upcoming @EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/DUt0y2h8IA

— Memphis Depay (@Memphis) November 17, 2019

England national team players were recently victims of similar misconduct in a Euro 2020 qualifier against Bulgaria, while Brescia striker Mario Balotelli threatened to walk out of a game after being targeted by monkey chants during a Serie A clash against Hellas Verona.