GOAL - New Iranian recruit Farhad Majidi of
defending UAE league champions Al-Ahly has been labelled as racist by local
papers following a nasty gesture towards Ivorian striker Tony of Al-Jazeera
in Friday’s President Cup quarter-finals clash.
"I spoke to Tony on the phone and apologised. I told him that I am sorry for
what happened in the match. I also spoke to Mohammad Omar the Al-Jazeera and
UAE national team skipper and apologised again for that gesture," Majidi
told reporters.
He was accused of making a rude gesture which Tony and his teammates
believed was racist as he put his fingers on his nose and pointed to Tony to
go away.
The referee didn't take any action against Farhad however the FA tournaments
committee, after watching the videotape of the match, decided to suspend
Farhad for two matches and fined him Dh3000 ($800).
Majidi said that during the match against Al-Jazeera, he also received abuse
and ugly gestures from the Al-Jazeera defenders. "Saleh Bashir the
Al-Jazeera defender's behaviour against me was very bad, which I am
embarrassed to talk about.
"But I always believe that is football and what happened in the field has to
be left there and not outside," he concluded.
