Willi Sagnol during his hey days while playing for France. now coaching Bordeaux is under severe criticism in France after he told a local newspaper that African players are ‘powerful’ but lack intelligence and discipline.
Bordeaux coach Willy Sagnol is under severe criticism in France after he told a local newspaper that African players are ‘powerful’ but lack intelligence and discipline.
In an interview with local newspaper Sud Ouest, Sagnol had said: “The advantage of what I would call the typical African player is that they are cheap, ready to fight, always what you would call powerful on the pitch. But football is not just about that, it is about technique, intelligence, discipline, so you need everything.”
According to BBC Sports, French club Bordeaux has backed Sagnol, despite an outburst which has shocked anti-racism groups and his former France international teammate Lilian Thuram.
Thuram said: “It is damaging that someone can hint that ‘the African players ‘ lack this or that quality.”
“It’s uninhibited anti-black racism,” SOS Racisme said in a statement, asking that “the LFP (French League), FFF (French Federation) and the Sports ministry take immediate sanctions.”
Sagnol, who took over as coach of Bordeaux in the summer, also ruled out signing African players for the club by citing the African Cup of Nations as a big disadvantage in the same interview.
“As long as I remain coach of Bordeaux there will be far fewer African players coming to Girondins de Bordeaux, because I don’t fancy seeing 12 players clearing off for two months every two years.”
The International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism (LICRA) said in a statement: “These abject theories are those that during the course of History have led to some kind of men and women having their humanity denied.”
But Bordeaux President Jean-Louis Triaud has hit back at those condemning the club coach and insists the interpretation of Sagnol’s remarks were ‘malicious ‘.
He told Europe 1: “Willy Sagnol is anything but racist. The interpretation of his words is completely wrong. He is straight-talking and a man of action.” Jean-Louis Triaud also made efforts to clarify what his coach meant when he questioned the intelligence of African footballers.
“We are not talking about the IQ of these players, but intelligence of the game. It has absolutely nothing to do with their IQ or ability as athletes.”
The LFP (French League), FFF (French Federation) or the Sports ministry have not opened an official investigation into the ‘African players’ remarks.
Author: Shadrack Andenga Odinga