Majidi Fined For Racist Gesture

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.