AP

WARSAW BEFORE a ball was even kicked, the issue of racism flared up at the European Championship after the Netherlands players said Polish spectators made monkey chants at them during a training session.

The Dutch federation didn’t file a complaint to UEFA but European football’s governing body said on Friday it had been informed there were “isolated incidents of racist chanting” and that it will take action if there is a repeat of such abuse. “We heard it because we were jogging right by the stands,” team captain Mark van Bommel said of the incident.

He said he was happy training switched to the other side of the Krakow training ground in south Poland.

The chanting was not widespread since coach Bert van Marwijk said he failed to hear anything untoward, only lots of noise which made him switch to the other side.

Even though the information only leaked out a day late and was initially denied by Dutch officials it was back on the agenda at the team’s news conference ahead of the opening Group B game between the Netherlands and Denmark on Saturday.

Van Marwijk sought to play down the controversy, saying: “I’m trying to be as nice possible.” There was comment too from retired Netherlands great Ruud Gullit, who is black. “It is sad that we have to talk about this, we don’t need this,” Gullit said.