Fifa spares Nigeria coach over racist remarks on former Malawi mentor
Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has escaped punishment after Fifa only warned him over racist remarks he made on former Malawi coach Tom Saintfiet.
A Fifa spokesman was quoted by Nigeria newspaper This Day that Fifa Disciplinary Committee after investigating Saintfiet’s complaint, decided to impose a warning on Keshi over the matter.
“A decision was reached on the subject after the Chairman of the Fifa Disciplinary Committee, Claudio Sulser, referred to Article 57 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code,” states the article.
But the world governing body has cautioned Keshi never to repeat incidents of such gravity in future.
“If such incidents should happen again, the Fifa Disciplinary Committee will be left with no other option than to impose sanctions against the coach, Mr. Stephen Keshi,” the Fifa spokesman told the Nigerian paper.
It is reported that the Nigerian was served with the caution because the incident was not treated as racism.
“By the tone of Article 57, it is assumed that Keshi only escaped with a warning as his conduct was deemed to fall under offensive behaviour and fair play and not racism as Saintfiet claimed.”
The controversial and outspoken Nigerian coach reacted after Sainftiet branded Calabar City of Orange Cross State not safe to have hosted the crucial world cup qualifier against the Flames in
The verdict was a relief for Keshi and officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) ahead of the Super Eagles trip to Addis Ababa, where Nigeria is due to face Ethiopia on October 13 in the first-leg of the World Cup play-off.
