Malawi Coach, Tom Saintfiet To Report Stephen Keshi To Fifa For 'Racism'

Malawi coach Tom Saintfiet is to report Stephen Keshi to Fifa after the Nigeria coach called him "a white dude who should go back to Belgium". The pair have been arguing since Malawi asked Fifa to move next month's crucial World Cup qualifier from Calabar for safety reasons.

Saintfiet told BBC Sport: "It is unacceptable that any person says these words - it is clear racism.

"It is 100% sure that my lawyers will lodge a complaint with Fifa."



The row erupted earlier this month when the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) wrote to Fifa, seeking a new venue for their 7 September Group F qualifier away to the Super Eagles - a match which Malawi, who trail Nigeria by two points, must win to progress to the play-offs.

"Mr Keshi can call me mad and crazy - no problem - but the racism is unacceptable"

Belgian Saintfiet told local media at the time that he was concerned about security because he claims "the UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office says it is a no-travel area".

Keshi hit back shortly afterwards, saying "this is where we play our games and other countries are fine with that. And the Nigerian Football Federation complied with Fifa's request for a written guarantee that the game would go ahead safely."

Keshi has now followed that up with comments on UK-based African TV show, Vox Africa's Sports360  , saying: "I think the coach of Malawi is crazy.

"If he wants to talk to Fifa, he should go back to Belgium. He is not an African person, he is a white dude, he should go back to Belgium," Keshi said. "I have never used any words like these to any coach. He has no right, who is he?

"All other countries play in Calabar. Calabar is one of the safest places in Nigeria... He is mad. I wish I could say it to his face."

Saintfiet told BBC Sport he is "shocked" by Keshi's comments and he believes the former Nigeria captain's words could also lead to trouble at the qualifier.

"These words create hate and aggression, and creates a risk ahead of the match in Calabar," Saintfiet added. "These comments are unacceptable and I am very sad about them. I will not say any bad words about Mr Keshi, nor Nigeria - I only spoke about moving the game."

"If Fifa takes racism seriously, then you have to take it seriously in both directions. If a European said something of this nature about an African, you would have a huge problem. I am against racism in all directions."

Saintfiet believes Keshi "is angry because of the request to change the venue", but the Belgian stands by his feeling that Calabar is unsafe.

"If Fifa says it's ok (for the match to be played in Calabar) because Nigeria will provide anti-bomb squads, then surely this is a problem at the beginning. "If you need anti-bomb squads, you cannot consider the area safe. It is designated a non-travel area, high-risk area.

"We are not insulting anyone."

Posted: at 23-08-2013 05:28 PM (10 years ago) | Gistmaniac

kesh why naaa

Posted: at 23-08-2013 05:39 PM (10 years ago) | Upcoming

Close your mouth jare, e pass the one wey una dey do us for una country?

Posted: at 23-08-2013 05:41 PM (10 years ago) | Hero

Some of these white people will never cease to amaze me with their superiority attitude when they are dealing with Africans.So simply because the stupid UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office says Calabar is a no-travel area that should be taken to be truth.We the Nigerians know that Calabar is one of the safest places in Nigeria.Who are the stupid UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office to tell us where is safe in Nigeria and where is not??.The stupid UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office classified Calabar as a no travel area because the court mandated their SHELL Company to pay Millions of Dollars in compensation to for degrading the communities where they drill Oil from and never care to clean up the mess after drilling.The classification of Calabar as a no travel area is politically motivated by the stupid UK government who never want to see anything good in Nigeria.It amazes me that this stupid no name 3rd rate coach from the non-footballing Belgian Nation should think he can dictate to us where to play the match based on one stupid scrupulous classification by the witch hunting UK government.Thank you Big Boss Keshi for putting this no name coach in his proper place.

Posted: at 23-08-2013 06:08 PM (10 years ago) | Gistmaniac

if na white man against black man we go talk say na bcos we be black, but why keshi come utter dat kain statement now

Posted: at 23-08-2013 06:33 PM (10 years ago) | Hero

dis white guys are fools,i dont know what they take we africans for. His shocked that he was called a "white dude" he should now imagine how one will feel if they stoned banana at him.

Posted: at 23-08-2013 07:21 PM (10 years ago) | Newbie

 

Posted: at 23-08-2013 08:42 PM (10 years ago) | Gistmaniac

sensible words coiming out from you,,, we ve had and experienced enough racism, but that doesnt mean keshi you use those words for the man,, if the man is a racist he wont even bother to work with malawian team,, from my own keshi can express his views without playing this racial card,, but the problem with most folks here is. they will never say the truth in as much as it has to do with their tribes or their country men against another country man,,,,i wonder if they will ever have the courage to say the truth, if a man of 40 years from their families rape a six month old baby,,

Posted: at 23-08-2013 09:43 PM (10 years ago) | Gistmaniac

is alright

Posted: at 23-08-2013 10:17 PM (10 years ago) | Gistmaniac

With all due respect brother, I think you got it wrong.The Malawian Coach have the right to complain to FIFA for a change of venue if he truly feels Calabar is not safe.But his assessment of the safety of Calabar as a playground should not be based on the pronouncement of the UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office which is not a Football Institution.The UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office is a biased and a racist organization that pronounced Calabar and some other parts of Southern Nigeria a no travel area in retaliation just 3 days after the ICJ asked SHELL BP to pay more than 300 Million Dollars in compensation for not cleaning up the environment in the host communities after drilling and Oil Spillage.So for this man to base his assessment of the safety of Calabar on the pronouncement of the UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office is RACISM itself.My brothers and sisters here,please do not be hoodwinked by this white people,they are very crafty.We have been playing our matches with other countries in Calabar,countries bigger than Malawi in terms of both Economy and Footballing and non of these countries have complained about the safety of Calabar as a play ground.You and I knows that Calabar is one of the safest places in Nigeria if not the safest.This man knows that his complaint has no basis that is why he based his complaint on the pronouncement of the UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office which is a Political body,rather than a Footballing institution.I strongly believe that the Malawian Coach insulted us Nigerians by trying to imply that it is the UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office that will decide the safest place to play football in Nigeria rather than the NFA.So I still maintain my stand that Big Boss Keshi did the right thing by putting him in proper pedestal.Next time he will watch it before playing the superiority card which is still RACISM.I believe it is highest form of RACISM for a group of ignorant white men to sit down somewhere in London,Brussels and Geneva to determine that Calabar is not safe for traveling.I strongly believe it is also the highest form of racism for the Malawian Coach to complain that Calabar is not a safe playground based on the erroneous and politically motivated pronouncement of some ignorant fellow white men somewhere in London,Brussels and Geneva.

Posted: at 24-08-2013 12:06 AM (10 years ago) | Gistmaniac