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Tanzanian football club fires Belgian coach over 'racist' remarks

Sunday September 06 2020
luc

Belgian coach Luc Eymael. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By AFP

A popular Tanzanian football club on Monday fired its Belgian coach for making racist comments, after he was recorded referring to unruly fans as "monkeys or dogs"

Luc Eymael, coach for the Young African (Yanga) Sports Club, made the comments after a 1-1 draw last week against Mtibwa Sugar angered fans of his team.

"We have been saddened by unfair and racist remarks made by Luc Eymael and we decided to fire him effective July 27, 2020," the team said in a statement signed by its acting secretary general Simon Patrick.

"The management of the club apologises to the Tanzania Football Federation, members, fans and the citizenry in general for the remarks. Our team believes in respect, dignity and is against any kind of racism."

In the recording, which circulated on social media, Eymael said: "These fans don't know anything about football....It's like monkeys or dogs when shouting."

According to local media, Eymael apologised for his comments, telling the Mwanaspoti sports newspaper he "was not in a good mood" and was not a racist.

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Tanzania's premier league ended Sunday with Yanga finishing second, and Simba Sports Club coming first.

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