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Football

Commission demands Aragones probe


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The row over Aragones' remark about Thierry Henry will not go away

MADRID, Spain -- Spain's anti-violence commission has demanded the Spanish Football Federation open disciplinary procedures against national coach Luis Aragones.

The decision has been based on article 76 of Spain's sports legislation which holds that misconduct in such a case can be sanctioned with either a fine, a temporary ban or even the sack.

A disciplinary hearing has been on the cards since October, when Aragones unwittingly opened a powder keg by making a racist comment about Arsenal striker Thierry Henry during a training session.

"We think the coach is sincere," said general director of the Sports Council Rafael Blanco, referring to Aragones insisting he had not meant to offend anyone.

"However, his behaviour was incorrect and it must be punished. The law is the same for everyone. The anti-violence commission seeks to condemn and combat racism with all means at its disposal," added Blanco.

Aragones said he had only been geeing up Henry's Arsenal clubmate, Spain international Jose Antonio Reyes, but the row intensified at last month's friendly between Spain and England in Madrid, at which thousands of home fans made monkey noises directed at England's black players.

In the run-up to the match Aragones, 66, blasted the English media for keeping the Henry issue burning, while also arguing that British colonialism was "racist."

Blanco said the federation had to show it supported "zero tolerance" of racism within the game and to take whatever steps were feasible to deal with a "deep-seated problem" in Spanish sport.

Spain's anti-violence commission, an offshoot of the education ministry, wants Aragones to answer for his behavior and there has even been talk of his position being under threat just five months after he replaced Inaki Saez, who resigned on the back of a first round Euro 2004 exit.

The Spanish government said the day after the England game it deplored the racist chants and blasted the fans' behaviour as "lamentable" and "intolerable" and, coupled with Aragones' 'contribution' to the furore, the issue refuses to go away.


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