Spain coach Luis Aragones has been cleared of racist
conduct by a Spanish court after his derogatory remarks about
France striker Thierry Henry in October 2004.
"The court found that the Spanish Committee for Sporting Discipline
(CEDD) had incorrectly evaluated the evidence," the Spanish
Football Federation (RFEF) said in a statement. "We now hope that
all measures will be taken to clear the good name of the national
coach and the RFEF disciplinary committees."
Aragones caused controversy in October 2004 when he was heard in a
training session telling striker Jose Antonio Reyes that he was
better than "that black sh it", referring to the Spaniard's Arsenal
team mate Henry.
The 68-year-old Aragones was originally fined 3,000 euros for
behaviour "contrary to the good order of the sport" by the
RFEF.
The offence was upgraded to "conduct which could be considered to
be racist" by the government-run CEDD and both Aragones and the
RFEF successfully appealed against that decision to the Spanish
court.
The RFEF were unable to say, however, whether Aragones would still
have to pay the fine for the original charge. "My lawyer told me
this morning," Aragones told Cadena Ser radio late on Tuesday. "I
went to court because it was a stain on my reputation and because
the offence did not exist as some judges believed."
Aragones initially apologised after widespread criticism of his
behaviour, saying he had not meant to offend anyone and that his
conscience was clear. He stirred further controversy, however, by
mounting an energetic defence of his comments before a friendly
against England in November 2004.
That match in Madrid was marred by racist abuse of England's black
players by sections of the crowd. Spain play England in a friendly
at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
