KUDELA CANNOT COVER THIS UP
Balogun blasts ‘calculated’ Czech in Kamara racism row
LEON BALOGUN claims Ondrej Kudela made a ‘calculated’ racist remark to Rangers team-mate Glen Kamara.
The Nigerian defender has hit out at the Slavia Prague player after he allegedly aimed abuse at Kamara during their Europa League tie at Ibrox on March 18.
Rangers reacted with fury after the Finland international was claimed to have been called a ‘f ****** monkey’ by Kudela.
The Czech side have defended their player, who they say used the words ‘f ****** guy’. They also allege Kamara assaulted Kudela after the match.
But Balogun — who had been sent off by the time of the flashpoint — believes Kudela has tried to present Kamara as a ‘liar’.
Speaking to German publication Kicker, he said: ‘At that stage, I was in the dressing room but I watched it and later Kemar (Roofe) told me everything. What can you say?
‘I wasn’t personally affected but it could just as easily have been me. Then Kemar gets abuse on social media. That’s the kind of thing that just makes you angry.
‘You look at the incident and see that this guy is running from 30 metres away and seeking out the player. People should know Glen is a totally quiet and laid-back player, one who always shies away from conflict.
‘He had tried to laugh off the situation as he has already been verbally attacked several times. To then have to watch as the guy covers his mouth and deliberately whispers into Glen’s ear, I can’t understand something like that.
‘It was calculated. He knew 100 per cent what he was doing. An apology would have been a lie. When you so consciously try to cover up what you’ve said, you know exactly what you’re trying to do.
‘If you believe you must conduct yourself like that, be honest about it and don’t try to talk your way out of it. He seriously has tried to present the victim as a liar. That is even worse.’
Balogun praised Scott Brown after the Celtic captain hugged Kamara in a show of solidarity before last Sunday’s Old Firm match at Parkhead.
He also urged UEFA and FIFA to take decisive action against racist abuse after their ‘awful’ campaigns.
Asked if he believed Brown’s gesture would help avoid similar situations to the Slavia Prague incident, the Rangers defender said: ‘No. But I take off my hat to Scott Brown for what he did, that was unbelievable. A very, very big gesture.
‘Also for what he said after the game about some things being bigger than football. That was huge. It’s right that this is making waves around the world and that should be the case too.
‘What’s missing is action from UEFA or FIFA. I’m no longer interested in these awful campaigns.
‘They’re all well and good but the contents of the campaigns have to be lived authentically and can’t just remain empty words.
‘Captain’s armbands with the inscription “no racism” bring nothing when racist incidents in the final analysis are once again not punished.
‘I get the feeling “people of colour” are being used to promote the supposed inclusive and open-tothe-world values of the FIFA and UEFA brands.
‘But just when hostility is shown to these players, all too often they are silent, embarrassed. I wish that actions would follow on from the expensive campaigns.’
Balogun added: ‘I’m not expecting much. The past tells us over and over again what happens in such situations — namely nothing at all.
‘But for my part, I won’t stop raising awareness about these matters in the hope that something changes. There is too much silence.’
Czech international Kudela has already been withdrawn from his country’s World Cup qualifier against Wales in Cardiff on Tuesday.
Kamara’s lawyer, Aamer Anwar, claimed he expects Kudela to be questioned by police if he returns to the UK for Slavia Prague’s Europa League quarter-final first leg against Arsenal in London on April 8.
Kudela started in the Czech Republic’s 6-2 win in Estonia in their opening World Cup qualifier last Wednesday but sat out last night’s clash against Belgium.