Emre Belozoglu Slapped With Two-Match Ban For Racially Abusing Dider Zokora

Emre Banned Just Two Matches For Racially Insulting Zokora

Former Newcastle United midfielder Emre Belozoglu has been banned for two matches after he was found guilty of racially insulting Ivory Coast international Dider Zokora.

The Turkish Football Disciplinary Committee have taken swift action after Trabzonspor's Zokora accused Fenerbahce's Emre during a league match on Sunday.

Having referred the matter to the disciplinary committee, the PFDK announced on its website: "Due to the insult to the player of the rival team, it has been decided with the majority of votes to punish Fenerbahce player Emre Belozoglu by sanctioning a ban for two official games."

Zokora, formerly of Tottenham, explained: "Emre and I had an argument during the game.

"What upsets me more is how disgraceful it is for a player who has African team mates like [Senegal's Moussa] Sow and [Nigeria's Joseph] Yobo to insult an African from another team."

The 31-year-old told a press conference after Fenerbahce's 2-0 win in Trabzonspor he had been killed a "n****r" by the Turk, and on Thursday Trabzonspor filed a civil law suit at an Istanbul court accusing Emre of abusing their midfielder.

Emre, 31, then held his own news conference the following day admitting he had abused Zokora in English, but without using racist terms.

"If I have even a little bit of racism, may God take my heart away from this body," he said, adding such terms he uttered were common during matches.

This season, Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was banned for eight matches and fined £40,000 by the Football Association after he was found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra during a league match at Anfield in October.

And Chelsea captain John Terry is to go on trial in July accused of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand during the Blues' 1-0 loss to QPR at Loftus Road in the same month.

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