The Slovenia Football Association has suspended the coach of the club first-division leader for seven matches for making a racial slur, by calling his Nigerian striker, ‘black idiot’.
Olimpija Ljubljana’s Marko Nikolic abused Blessing Eleke, after the Nigerian scored an extra time equalizer against Zavrc at home for 1-1 on Sunday and broke away to celebrate the goal. Nikolic felt Eleke was wasting time as he wanted the team to win the match.
Nikolic, a Serb, was also caught on camera as saying “look at that idiot” while Eleke celebrated.
Nikolic said he never intended to offend the player racially, and was unhappy that the long celebration meant there was no time for a winner. He apologized to Eleke.
Olimpija refused to suspend the coach, but the FA said it acted “because of clear racism.”
The suspension meant Nikolic is banned to the end of the season.