Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has praised the FIFA anti-discrimination monitoring system which is set to be used to monitor the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

The effort will see FIFA sending European anti-discrimination organisation FARE trained observers to attend any qualification games that are considered high risk in terms of potential racist behaviour from fans in attendance.

These monitors will report any incidents of discrimination to the world football governing body, which will be able to take disciplinary action against the countries concerned. It is hoped that this will then see associations and local football authorities clamp down on these incidents of racism and discrimination.

Ivorian captain Toure spoke to the media at the launch of the monitoring system at London’s Wembley Stadium, according to AFP, hailing the new initiative as a step in the right direction.

“I’m very satisfied to see that FIFA is taking this issue very seriously and putting in place concrete measures to stop behaviour which goes against the spirit of our sport,” Toure explained.

“It’s really important to know what a big problem racism is in society in general. Sometimes people don’t take reports of that. We have to show them something has to be done and I hope it will be done. That’s why we’re here today, to express and speak for the people who can’t speak,” he added.

The current African Player of the Year was himself the victim of racist abuse during a UEFA Champions League match against CSKA Moscow in 2013, and acts as a consultant for FIFA in terms of their anti-racism and discrimination task force.