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Football

Spanish FA sorry for racist taunts


story.cole.jpg
Ashley Cole (right) was one of the England players who suffered racial abuse in Madrid

LONDON, England -- The English FA has received a letter of apology from the Spanish FA after fans racially abused England players during Wednesday's match in Madrid.

The FA said the letter, from General Secretary Jorge P. Arias, categorically condemned the fans' behavior.

"The FA welcomes the response and now looks forward to receiving details from FIFA on its investigation initiated on Thursday," a statement said.

The Spanish FA was responding to a letter of complaint from the FA after sections of the Bernabeu crowd made monkey noises at England players Ashley Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips during the 1-0 defeat.

Racial abuse also marred the under-21 clash between the two countries on Tuesday. FIFA could fine the Spanish FA or order Spain to play a match behind closed doors.

Madrid council condemned the racist taunts but said that the events should not be allowed to harm the city's bid to host the 2012 Olympics.

"Such attitudes do not in any way represent the feeling of the majority of people in our city which is open to all cultures, races and nationalities," mayor Alberto Ruiz Gallardon said.

Several British soccer personalities have said the England players should have walked off the pitch in protest while others think the referee should have acted.

However, a source close to Greek referee George Kasnaferis said: "He did not see or hear anything during the match and there were no complaints by any of the players during the match."

Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard, whose team host Real Madrid on Saturday, put some of the blame on English reporters for over-hyping Spanish coach Luis Aragones' racist remarks about France striker Thierry Henry before the game.

"Journalists writing about it are creating something. I think it is better to calm down, although it is important we can do something to change (the situation)."

Manchester United assistant manager Carlos Quieroz, in charge at Real Madrid last season, agreed:

"Personally I was very surprised because I can guarantee to English players that is not usual or common behaviour in Spain," he said. "I believe it was an exceptional situation and was the result of the environment that was created around the game."

Liverpool's Spanish manager Rafael Benitez believed the racists should not be given publicity.

"We condemn racism in all walks of society but it would be a big mistake to keep giving small groups like this publicity," the former Valencia coach said ."This is not normal in Spain."

Racism was rife in the English game up to the 1980s but has largely been eradicated in recent years.

French players will wear T-shirts bearing the slogans "Say No To Racism" and "Say No To Violence" before this weekend's games after a series of incidents marred their league programme over the past two weeks.


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