Euro 2012 has already been polluted by three separate incidents of racism, involving players from countries as diverse as Holland, the Czech Republic and Italy.

Uefa risibly attempted to spin the audible monkey chanting of Dutch players at an open training session in Krakow into boos aired by fans unhappy that another team trained at Wisla Krakow's ground. Netherlands captain Mark van Bommel angrily refuted those suggestions, and an investigation is underway.

Yet Uefa's worrying attempt (to cover up?) an incident of racism chimes with their frivolous attitude towards it. Paltry fines have been dished out to countries throughout Europe, yet the softline stance has kept racism in play rather than kicked it out.

To illustrate the issue, below is a gallery compiled of images dating back 26 years ago. Not every incident has been detailed, but the 22 images highlight a problem which is unsurprisingly gaining widespread attention, and why it may only exacerbate six years down the line.

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  • Mexico '86: West Ham and England fans publicise their political allegiance to the National Front

  • The money shot. John Barnes flicks a banana away at Goodison Park in 1987

  • In a 1991 interview, SC Heerenveen manager Fritz Korbach labelled future Nottingham Forest striker Bryan Roy "a short f****** n*****" and Romário "that coffee bean of PSV"

  • Stuart Pearce had to apologise for racially abusing Paul Ince at Old Trafford in 1994

  • Lazio's Sinisa Mihajlovic was handed a two-match ban by Uefa in October 2000 after racially abusing Arsenal's Patrick Vieira during a Champions League match

  • Theirry Henry gestures toward the home fans after claiming he was racially abused against Valencia in March 2003

  • Ron Atkinson called Marcel Desailly a "lazy f*****g nigger" after Chelsea lost to Monaco in 2004. He was immediately sacked.

  • Shaun Wright-Phillips was one of a number of black England players subjected to monkey chants from Spanish fans during a friendly at Real Madrid's Bernabeu stadium in November 2004. The Spanish Football Federation was fined £45,000

  • David Speedie sparked outrage after using the terms "blackies" and "niggers" at a charity function. The former Chelsea, Liverpool and Scotland international made the racist remarks just days after the fury surrounding England's ill-tempered clash with Spain

  • A flag with a nazi swastika symbol is seen in the Lazio supporters stand during the Roman side's clash with Livorno in April 2005

  • Messina defender Marc Andre Zoro, right, listens to Inter's Marco Materazzi, after reacting to racial slurs coming from the spectators during a Serie A match between Messina and Inter in San Filippo stadium in November 2005

  • Lazio forward Paolo Di Canio makes a Fascist salute to fans during Lazio's match against Livorno in December 2005

  • Samuel Eto'o walks off following incessant racial abuse directed at him in Zaragoza, February 2006

  • Uefa fined the Serbian football federation £16,500 in 2007 for spectators' racist abuse of England players at the Under-21 European Championship in Holland

  • Lokomotiv Moscow fans unveil a racially-motivated banner after Nigerian striker Peter Odemwingie is bought by West Brom in 2010. The Russian Football Union's hen director general Alexei Sorokin said at the time: "In Russia 'to get a banana' means 'to fail a test somewhere'."

  • Luis Suarez was banned eight matches and fined £40,000 for racially abusing Patrice Evra in October 2011

  • A Manchester City fan makes his feelings clear after Fifa president Sepp Blatter said players racially abused should shake the hands of their abuser at the end of a match and denied racism existed in football

  • Mario Balotelli was racially abused by FC Porto fans in March 2012 during a Europa League game. The Portuguese side were punished with a paltry £16,500 charge, while City were fined £25,000 by Uefa for taking a minute longer to take to the field for their second-half Europa League match with Sporting Lisbon

  • Ex-Blackburn Rovers defender Christopher Samba, now at Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala, has a banana thrown at him during the team's away match at Lokomotiv Moscow in March 2011

  • Mark van Bommel is angered by suggestions monkey chants were not aired during Holland's open training session the day before Euro 2012 started. Uefa attempted to suggest it was booing, but soon admitted defeat and are now investigating the derogatory slurs

  • Czech Republic's Theodor Gebre Selassie was targeted by Russian fans on day one of the championship

  • Balotelli allegedly suffered more racist abuse against Spain

  • Danny Rose sarcastically gestures to Serbian supporters airing monkey chants at him