Slovak soccer chief apologises for crowd racism

Slovakia's FA chief apologised on Monday to his English counterpart after Slovak fans yelled racist taunts at England's black players during their Euro 2004 qualifier on Saturday.

During the match, which was also marred by violence between England supporters and police, part of the Slovak crowd shouted racist abuse when England players Ashley Cole and Emile Heskey touched the ball.

Slovak Football Association President Frantisek Laurinec apologised to English FA chairman Geoff Thompson, saying the racism was not representative of Slovak fans as a whole.

"These conducts, which we strongly condemn, by no means represent the general public opinion of the majority of the Slovak fans who...looked forward to seeing the match," Laurinec said in an open letter.

"This is... proved by when English player Emile Heskey was leaving the field, the Slovak audience spontaneously applauded him for his performance during the game."

"SFA apologises for all the statements and behaviour that negatively affected the atmosphere of this international match, and is prepared to co-operate actively in investigating the case."

An FA spokesman told Reuters on Monday that Slovakia's ambassador in London would be writing personally to both Heskey and Cole to apologise for the abuse they suffered.

"Those letters will be delivered in the next 24 hours," the FA spokesman said.

Wiping out racism in soccer has risen to the top of the agenda of the sport's governing body in Europe UEFA after black players have been the target of abuse in recent matches, particularly in ex-communist Europe.

Cole said that even the stadium's stretcher bearers were abusive during the Group Seven match which England won 2-1.

"It has to be stopped," the Arsenal defender told London's Evening Standard newspaper. "It hardly happens in England any more but when I play in Europe it still goes on.

"Emile seemed to bear the brunt in Bratislava but I had my share as well. It was all over the stadium and when I went to pick the ball up a couple of times even the stretcher staff were making monkey chants.

"I try hard to block it out but sometimes it's not easy."

Heskey was similarly upset when he spoke to TV reporters on Monday before England's game against Macedonia on Wednesday.

"It's disgraceful. You would have thought that in 2002 people would have moved on from that but clearly they haven't," said the Liverpool forward.

WHOLE CROWD

"It was the worst I have ever experienced. Not just a small section of the crowd. It was the whole stadium. At club level we never get that. Playing in Europe, we get bits but that was some of the worst stuff we have been subjected to.

"It is good to go out and win the game, that gets to them," he said. "You just have to try and block it out, put in a good performance and just show them."

Slovak striker Szilard Nemeth, who plays for Middlesbrough in the premier league, has also apologised for the abuse.

"It is not fair, I am sorry. I do not know why fans do that sort of thing," said Nemeth.

European governing body UEFA has already launched an investigation into the abuse and also the crowd trouble that flared up during the match.

UEFA said that the match referee's report had made reference to racist abuse directed at Cole and Heskey.

Mike Lee, UEFA director of communications, said the clashes between police and English supporters during the match would also be investigated.

"There will be an investigation," Lee told Reuters. "The referee's report has already been received and he (Italian Domenico Messina) does make reference to the abuse of Heskey and Cole.

"We will receive the UEFA match delegate's report later. After that we will decide whether further investigation will be needed.

Last Thursday UEFA issued a 10-point plan to tackle racism.