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Spanish FA urged to launch probe into Aragones
By Simon Baskett
MADRID, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Spain's Anti-violence Commission has asked football authorities to launch an urgent disciplinary investigation into remarks made by national coach Luis Aragones before last month's friendly against England.
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The Commission, which reports to the government-run sports council (CSD), urged Spanish Football Federation president Angel Maria Villar to set up the probe when he appeared before the body on Friday.
"The declarations were inopportune and they have to be dealt with," said Commission president Rafael Blanco. "The law is the same for everyone and the Anti-violence Commission wants to condemn and combat racism by all the means within its power.
"Opening such an investigation does not mean there will necessarily be any final punishment .... but such behaviour could be considered as serious or very serious and could carry a penalty such as being barred from a position or a heavy fine."
Blanco said that Villar had explained that the Federation had not opened an investigation because Aragones "had not been trying to instigate any conflict and had subsequently apologised for his action."
Aragones made the remarks when he was defending himself against accusations of racism following comments he made about France striker Thierry Henry.
Quizzed on the eve of the friendly against England, Aragones mounted an energetic defence of his actions.
"The problem of racism is, in my opinion, a question of conscience and all I can say is that mine is clear," said Aragones before asking the reporter who had put the question: "Is your conscience clear? I doubt it.
"I know who is racist, I remember what happened in the (British) colonies. Who was it who were like wolves hunting down deer?
"I'm not a racist but you lot will write what you want. I've a lot of black friends who have explained to me that the English were after them in the colonies."
RACIST ABUSE
The friendly against England was marred by racist abuse and chanting directed at visiting black players by sections of the crowd at the Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid.
Aragones landed himself in trouble in October when he was heard telling Spain's Jose Antonio Reyes that he was better than "that black shit", referring to the forward's Arsenal team mate Henry during a training session before a World Cup qualifier against Belgium.
The 66-year-old apologised for his remarks, saying he had "never intended to offend anyone."
Anti-violence Commission president Blanco said that the problem of racism in Spanish football went much deeper than Aragones's remarks.
"We are clear that xenophobic behaviour didn't start with the Spain-England match, but existed well before that in Spanish football. The roots of the problem do not lie in what Aragones said but in the behaviour of certain groups in society."
He also said that Spain could learn a lot from other countries about how to deal with the problem.
"The action that other countries take is an example for Spain to follow," he said.
"If we need to change the law we will do so in order to deal with this more firmly and that's why we want to learn from the experience of the countries around us."