Racist comments to be investigated

Spanish national team coach Luis Aragones faces a formal investigation after Spain’s Football Federation yesterday decided to open disciplinary proceedings over racist comments about Thierry Henry of France and Arsenal.

As well as a substantial fine Aragones could even lose his job over the comments he made in a training session in October to Henry’s Arsenal team-mate Jose Antonio Reyes.

Aragones is alleged to have made a disparaging reference to Henry’s colour in an attempt to fire up Reyes and make the latter believe he was better than his French clubmate. Federation president Angel Maria Villar decided the body had to take action following a demand to that effect by Spain’s anti-violence commission.