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(CNN) -- "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." Nelson Mandela
For Kevin-Prince Boateng it was a depressingly familiar soundtrack: the monkey noises, the name-calling, the crude racial stereotyping.
He'd always ignored it in the past, and for 25 minutes of AC Milan's match with lower league Pro Patria in early January this year he'd done the same.
But then something inside him snapped. The 26-year-old picked up the ball and propelled it in the direction of his abusers before storming from the field of play, followed by his teammates.
The game was over and Boateng's protest transformed this exhibition match into headline news around the globe, plunging football's authorities into crisis management mode.
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"I could hear from the crowd some monkey noises and this went on for about 25 minutes. Every time I touched the ball I could hear the crowd," Boateng told CNN.
"I said to myself, in this kind of environment, in this situation, I don't want to play football anymore.
"I came to the dressing room and I was the first, and saw one (teammate), then the second one and then the whole team came. I was really surprised and then really proud. I thanked all of them for following me.
"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."
The authorities react
Boateng's actions were applauded and condemned in equal measure but, undeniably, they forced the game's authorities to stand up and take notice.
As recently as 2011 FIFA president Sepp Blatter told CNN that on-field racism didn't exist in football and that those who thought they'd been abused during a game should simply shake hands upon the final whistle and move on.
He later insisted his comments had been misinterpreted and underlined his commitment to fighting racism in football and society.
But while Blatter insisted that walking off the field was the wrong way to tackle discrimination, there's no doubt Boateng's protest provoked the head of world soccer's governing body into decisive action.
A task force against racism and discrimination was formed, with Boateng invited to join ahead of its first meeting on May 6.
It formulated proposals that would see any player or official found guilty of racism banned for five matches while teams could be docked points, expelled from competition or even relegated for persistent offenses.
Those recommendations were ratified at FIFA's recent congress in Mauritius and were hailed by the task force's head Jeffrey Webb as a "defining moment" in soccer's fight against racism.
Boateng was also invited to the United Nations, where he told the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination that racism was a "dangerous disease."
UEFA, European football's governing body, went further than FIFA, implementing a minimum 10-match ban for racist abuse by players or officials and escalating measures for clubs including fines and stadium closures for repeat offenders.
But although football's authorities have now adopted a stronger stance to combat what has long been an ugly stain on the game, the picture on the ground is more clouded.
CNN contacted more than 15 European football associations asking a series of questions on the prevalence of racism.
One of only a handful who replied, the Portuguese FA, said they don't have any record of racist abuse cases in their country.
The English club was later fined $39,000 in the same competition for taking to the field late after halftime.
On the ground in Serbia
The situation in Serbia reflects the complex nature of such an explosive topic.
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was handed an eight-match ban by the English Football Association for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra in a match in October 2011. Suarez refused to shake Evra's hand during the customary pre-match ritual ahead of the teams' clash on February 12 this year. The Uruguayan has since apologized for his snub of the France defender.
Racism incidents in football
England midfielder Danny Rose claims he was subjected to monkey chants before, during and after the second-leg of their Under-21 Euro 2013 playoff match against Serbia on Tuesday, and had stones thrown at him by the crowd in Krusevac. Fans also ran on to the pitch and scuffles broke out after a 1-0 win secured England qualification for Euro 2013.
Soccer racism in Eastern Europe
AC Milan's Mario Balotelli reacts to racist abuse from the visiting Roma fans at the San Siro in May. It was not the first time the Italian-born striker has been racially abused in Serie A.
Italy's complex racism problem
The technical director of the Serbian Football Association, Savo Milosevic, told CNN that his country's problems with racism have been exaggerated.
"I think people made out of this a much bigger problem than we actually have," he said. "We don't have a strategy to fight against racism in the FA of Serbia, we also don't have a strategy in our government to fight against racism, simply because we don't consider this a problem here."
He cited the difficulties they face with crowd violence as a more pressing concern, with Serbia repeatedly warned about the conduct of its supporters, who rioted and caused a Euro 2012 qualifying game with Italy to be abandoned back in 2010.
But the Serbian FA was recently fined £65,000 ($84,000) by UEFA after an ill-tempered under-21 match against England in which visiting player Danny Rose claimed he'd been subjected to monkey chants from the crowd.
The incident, and the fine, prompted criticism of UEFA from the British government, whose sports minister Hugh Robertson expressed his disappointment at the sanctions in relation to what he called "widespread racist abuse."
Milosevic, just like the Serbian FA did at the time, insisted the punishment was related to a brawl between the players and not to do with racism.
Passionate fans
On CNN's visit to the Belgrade derby between Partizan and Red Star, notorious for the fervency of both sets of fans, there was violence in the stands, and several fires lit but no audible racism.
Reflecting the diverse nature of many playing squads within European football, Red Star's team contained several black players who told CNN they'd experienced no racial abuse since joining the club.
But while progress has been made on the field, with players from a wide range of nationalities sharing dressing rooms around Europe and standing together to present a united front against the scourge of discrimination, flashpoints keep occurring in the stands, especially in Italy.
Lazio was issued with a $186,000 fine after racist chanting from its fans during three matches in the Europa League: two against English club Tottenham in September and November 2012, and one against Maribor of Slovenia in December.
And in May, Boateng, along with Italy striker Mario Balotelli and Ghana international Sulley Muntari, were the targets when a game between AC Milan and Roma was temporarily halted as visiting fans chanted racist abuse at the trio.
Balotelli, one of Europe's most high-profile black players, told CNN in an exclusive interview that he would walk off the field if the abuse persisted while Muntari expressed his desire to "kill" all racism in the game.
They epitomized a new resolve among the game's top players to stamp out discrimination, sparked by Boateng's actions in the small town of Busto Arsizio in the Lombardy region of the country on that January afternoon.
Boateng's resolve
His abusers at Pro Patria were recently handed jail sentences ranging from 40 days to two months and Boateng is convinced the past five months are proof that there is hope for the future.
"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," Boateng explained to CNN.
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"But I never ever thought that if something happened like this that I would react the way I did, that was just out of the emotion and anger in that situation.
"I would say that it's there every day. It's still there and that's a big problem, because we are in the year 2013 and we still have to face racism. There are so many people who are fighting it now, and I want to be a part of that.
"I'm very confident. I had so many talks and so much support from people who want to help, who have offered their help."
After years of mixed messages from the top, it appears there is now an appetite to launch an assault on the outdated attitudes that still infiltrate the modern game.
But given the recent resurgence of racist incidents in Europe, and the muddled picture in various pockets of the continent, the path towards zero tolerance is sure to prove painstaking.
Should the globe's most popular sport manage to forge a way through, perhaps it will be able to point to the events of January 3 as a turning point.
As far as Boateng is concerned, had it been a friendly, or one of the planet's most high-profile games his reaction would have been the same.
"I think we should not accept and tolerate racism anywhere, in any game, whether it's a friendly game or a World Cup final or it's a Champions League final," he said.
"For me I would honestly do it even if it was a Champions League final."
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Chelsea captain John Terry will face trial in July for alleged racist abuse of Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand during a Premier League match on October 23. Terry, who was stripped of the England captaincy, denies the charges.
A fan was banned from attending all football matches for three years after directing racist abuse at Liverpool defender Glen Johnson during a match on January 3. Andrew Dale, 36, was also fined £400 ($628).
Police are investigating alleged racist abuse by a fan of third division Oldham Athletic's Tom Adeyemi during a FA Cup tie with Liverpool on January 6.
Manchester City defender Micah Richards closed his Twitter account in February after receiving sustained abuse from other users. "I did enjoy Twitter and the banter with the fans, but I didn't like the abuse you get on it," he said. "I thought it was just for the best for myself because it can affect your confidence if people are saying things about you. I just thought it was best to come off and concentrate fully on football."
Manchester City lodged an official complaint with European football's governing body UEFA last week after Italy striker Mario Balotelli complained of racist chanting during a Europa League match against Porto.
Bugaria's football association was fined €40,000 ($53,000) in November 2011 after England complained about racist abuse of winger Ashley Young during an international match in Sofia.
Brazilian World Cup winner Roberto Carlos walked off the pitch while playing for Russian team Anzhi Makhachkala against Krylya Sovetov in June 2011, after having a banana thrown towards him in the closing stages of the match.
Samuel Eto'o, one of Africa's greatest players, tried to walk off the pitch in protest after being racially abused while playing for Barcelona against Real Zaragoza in Spain in 2006. His teammates and the referee persuaded him to stay on.
The Malaysian FA apologized to Chelsea in Julyn 2011, when Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun was subject to racial slurs during a pre-season game in the country.
In 2008, German midfielder Torsten Ziegner was banned five matches for racially abusing Nigerian opponent Kingsley Onuegbu during a lower league match.
The Macedonia FA were fined $26,000 after fans racially abused England trio Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell and Emile Heskey during a qualifying game for Euro 2004.
In September 2011, Bulgaria were fined $55,000 after a small number of fans directed monkey chants at England's Ashley Young, Cole and Theo Walcott during a Euro 2012 qualifier in Sofia.
Russia was hit with a $38,000 punishment after supporters made monkey noises towards Czech Republic defender Theodor Gebre Selassie during Euro 2012
The Croatian FA were ordered to pay a $16,000 fine after their fans were found guilty of "displaying a racist banner and showing racist conduct during the Euro 2008 quarter-final tie against Turkey.
Russia were again in the news for the wrong reasons at Euro 2012 and were fined $39,00 for "the setting off and throwing of fireworks by Russia spectators, displaying of illicit banners and the invasion of the pitch by a supporter," during the Euro 2012 tie against Poland. Russia was also fined $155,000 after clashes between supporters and police during and after their game against the Czech Republic.
Denmark's Nicklas Bendtner was given a one-match ban and a $126,000 fine after he lifted his shirt to reveal a betting company's logo on his underwear while celebrating a goal against Portugal in a Euro 2012 group game.
Porto were hit by a $27,000 fine after their fans were found guilty of subjecting Manchester City forward Mario Balotelli to monkey chants during a Europa League game in February 2012. It took UEFA six weeks to finally hand out a punishment. But questions were raised after UEFA also fined City $40,000 after the club were found guilty of coming back out on to the field of play late after the halftime interval.
Serie A side Lazio has already been punished four times in the 2012-13 season due to racist offenses by its fans in European matches.
"I don't care what game it is -- a friendly, Italian league or Champions League match -- I would walk off again," the Germany-born Kevin-Prince Boateng, who has represented Ghana, told CNN in an exclusive interview in January after he walked off in protest at racist abuse he was subjected to in a friendly match.
At the end of January, Boateng had a new teammate after AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi sanctioned a $30 million deal to sign striker Mario Balotelli from Manchester City. Berlusconi had previously branded Balotelli a "rotten apple."
La Stampa newspaper estimated that the signing of "Super Mario" could have been worth 400,000 votes in Berlusconi's bid for re-election in Italy back in February.
Before moving to England, the Italy-born Balotelli played for AC Milan's rivals Inter Milan, and during one Serie A match against Juventus the Turin club's fans once shouted: "There are no black Italians."
Soon after Balotelli returned to Italy, Inter Milan were fined $20,000 after racist chants from their fans about the AC Milan's striker at a match against Chievo. Inter play AC in the Milan derby on February 24.
"Berlusconi is an opportunist, who will say anything to win short-term support," Italian historian John Foot -- the author of the authoritative book on Italian football "Calcio" -- told CNN, in reference to the AC Milan owner's support for Boateng after the player walked off the pitch. "His comments are hypocritical at best, especially given his alliance with anti-immigrant and far-right parties, and his comments on Barack Obama (he called him 'sun-tanned')," added Foot. Berlusconi is pictured in the center, wearing a scarf.
Soon after Balotelli returned to Serie A, Berlusconi's brother Paolo -- during a political rally -- invited the public to an upcoming AC Milan match and was caught on camera -- the video was featured on the website of Italian newspaper La Repubblica -- saying: "OK, we are all off to see the family's little black boy." Paolo is pictured here, wearing glasses.
"I don't think you can run away, because then the team should have to forfeit the match," FIFA president Sepp Blatter told Abu Dhabi's The National newspaper. "This issue is a very touchy subject, but I repeat there is zero tolerance of racism in the stadium, we have to go against that. The only solution is to be very harsh with the sanctions (against racism) -- and the sanctions must be a deduction of points or something similar."
Two days after Boateng's walkoff, some sections of Lazio's crowd at Rome's Olympic Stadium were heard making monkey noises at Cagliari's Colombian striker Victor Ibarbo. However, the majority of the home crowd jeered and whistled to drown out the racists.
In 2010, Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o suffered racist abuse from Cagliari fans when playing for Inter Milan in a Serie A game. The Sardinian club was subsequently heavily fined.
In 2005 the Italian authorities banned Paolo di Canio -- then playing for Lazio -- and fined him almost $11,000 for his use of a straight-arm salute. "The sports court decided that it was an act of racism," the head of Italy's Observatory on Racism and Anti-racism in Football, Mauro Valeri, told CNN. "The ordinary court, however, did not intervene. For me it's racism, for the Ministry of the Interior, no." Di Canio is now manager of English club Swindon Town.
While English football embarked on a program of stadium reconstruction after the 1980s disasters at Bradford, Heysel (pictured) and Hillsborough, Italian football has been arguably hampered by a lack of stadium redevelopment.
Of Serie A's big clubs, only Juventus has built a new stadium in recent years.
The Italian Ministry of the Interior has introduced an identity document -- "tessera del tifoso" -- for supporters to counteract hooliganism. In order to buy match tickets, fans must present their document, with the system designed to ensure away fans can't buy "home" tickets for games.
Owen Neilson is writing a book about Italian football grounds, "Stadio: The Life and Death of Italian Football." "If a stadia revolution is undertaken in Italy -- as it has happened in England -- a layer of culture unique to Italy will be tarmacked over, with 'Juventus Stadium' type replacements," said Neilson. "Football will be changed again in favor of profit and central figures in a club's history, such as Giuseppe Meazza (who played for both AC Milan and Inter) or Romeo Menti (Vincenza), will be moved from the spotlight . That will be a real loss."
"The Football Italian Federation, FIFA and UEFA must empower fan-based initiatives that are capable of creating a culture of self-regulation," Professor Clifford Stott, who has advised governments and police forces internationally on crowd management policy and practice, told CNN.
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