The Czech government has sparked fury by claiming the punishment of race row footballer Ondrej Kudela is “perverted”.
The Slavia Prague player has been reported by Police Scotland over a claim he racially abused Rangers star Glen Kamara during a Europa League clash. Kamara has also been accused of an alleged assault after the match in Glasgow last month.
But last night a 10-match ban handed to Kudela by football’s governing body Uefa provoked an incredible response from the Czech government.
Vratislav Mynar, a spokesman for President Milos Zeman, said the ban was put in place to satisfy the “perverted expectations of a small group of activists”.
Kamara’s lawyer, anti-racist campaigner Aamer Anwar, hit back saying the statement had left his client “horrified and disgusted” and that it “demeaned” the office of the Czech president.
He said: “In the context that Slavia Prague has issued a half-hearted apology to my client, I am absolutely blown away and astonished at what I can only describe as an hysterical statement from the head office of the President of the Czech Republic. To claim that Uefa’s tokenistic statement on a 10-game ban was ‘just to fulfil the perverted expectations of a small group of activists’ is frankly incredible and bordering on insanity.
“The statement is deeply offensive, it smacks of racism, it is in total denial, perpetuates untruths and looks more like a diatribe by the far right.
“It is also insulting and demeaning of the office of the president and the Czech people that this has been put out publicly.
“It begs the question of what hope there is for any black player in the Czech Republic daring to speak out if this is the reaction at the highest levels of the state.
"Whoever is responsible for this statement should resign immediately or be dismissed because anyone looking through what this statement said would think it was more at home with Donald Trump or the far right.
“They are pressing the button that gives the racists a green light to come out of the sewers.
“(Kamara) is just horrified and disgusted, he just wants to get back to doing what he loves which is playing football.”
In his remarkable open letter to Uefa’s control, ethics and disciplinary body, the Czech president’s spokesman Mynar wrote: “I note that racism is unproven and alleged.
"The Uefa inspector himself questioned that Ondrej Kudela had made a racist statement. Nevertheless, you have decided on a completely unprecedented punishment for a player who did not harm anyone and only verbally – according to his statement – offended his opponent. You condemn a decent person without a single piece of evidence.
“You make it impossible for athletes to fulfil their dream in the Europa League – all this just to fulfil the perverted expectations of a small group of activists and a club unable to win on the field, all the more so by shouting empty and hurtful phrases about racism.”
Kamara was given a three-game ban after allegedly assaulting Kudela in the tunnel after the game.
Police last night confirmed they have reported Ondrej Kudela and Glen Kamara over the alleged incidents.
