Dirty Tricks

In a dirty trick worthy of the KGB - which President Vladimir Putin worked for at one time of course - the Russian football club CSKA Moscow seems to have pulled a fast one in pouring cold water on claims by the Manchester City player - Yaya Toure - that he was racially abused during a Champions League match the other night.

In a clever but cynical move, the Russian club seemed to pull a rabbit out of the hat, so to speak, by getting one of their own players - Seydou Doumbia, a black footballer and an international team mate of Toure's from the Ivory Coast - to public reject Toure's version of events.

First of all, the Russian club's deputy media manager Michael Sanadze told Sky Sports News: 

"There is no subject to discuss. Nothing special happened. There was a lot of noise in the stadium. Nobody else, other than Yaya Toure, heard anything. The only trouble that has come about was because Yaya Toure heard something."

The the 'killer' strike from Seydou Doumbia who told a Russian newspaper:

"I didn't hear anything like that from the CSKA fans...yes, they're always noisy in supporting the team, and try to put as much pressure as possible on our opponents but they wouldn't ever allow themselves to come out with racist chants.  So my Ivory Coast colleague (Yaya Toure) is clearly exaggerating.'

Except that the Russian club's exceptionally dirty trick has since backfired with the following post which has appeared on Seydou Doumbia's Facebook page:  

“I want to clarify my position after my Ivory Coast team-mate and friend Yaya Touré accused CSKA fans of ­racism,” read a statement posted in both English and French on the page. “I want to ­insist that I did not talk to any journalist about these facts, so none of the quotes you read in the press came from me.”

As I said the other day - I hope UEFA (the European football authority) throw the book at them because the club deserve to be slung out of the competition, if what Seydou Doumbia is saying turns out to be true.  

And good for Yaya Toure - he deserves a medal for standing up and being counted.

Bigots and Racists (25 October 2013)

A Scottish man - William Kilpatrick (22) - has been sent to prison for nine months after posting a hate message on a social networking site - in the wake of a football game between Rangers and Celtic.

William Kilpatrick posted the following message about the Celtic manager Lennon: 

"Get mair bullets and bombs sent boys, Glasgow Rangers Champions."

During his trial Stirling Sheriff Court heard that a week before this vile post was made, that real bombs and bullets had - in fact - been sent to Neil Lennon and a high-profile Celtic supporter Paul McBride QC who died last year.

Now Kilpatrick claimed that his call to arms was just 'banter' and meant in fun - but thankfully the jury didn't believe his lies and found that his behaviour amounted to a breach of the peace.

Good for the jury - because this kind of behaviour is completely unacceptable and inciting other people to commit violence is not a laughing matter - so well done to the judge who said that he would be failing in his duty if he did not send Kilpatrick to jail.

Likewise in Moscow where Manchester City's Yaya Toure - the other night - stood up to foul and racist abuse from CSKA Moscow football 'fans' - during a Euro Champions League tie. 

I'm sure these clowns would say they were just being funny as well which is what all bigots and bullies say when they get caught out - so I hope the European football authorities throw the book at the club. 

Because that's the way to drive home a message to these fans - that their behaviour is absolutely offensive and will not be tolerated.