Fired Yanga Coach Luc Eymael Says He’s Not A Racist

Belgian tactician Luc Eymael has denied being a racist after remarks he made about Tanzania football fans.

The 60-year-old gaffer was sacked by Tanzanian giants Young Africans SC on Monday following a controversial rant in which he described the club’s fans as ‘dogs and monkeys’.

However, Eymael insists that he has never been racist throughout his coaching career in Africa which spans ten years.

“I am not a racist, and you know that very well,” Eymael said in an interview with Goal.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “I have coached in Africa for the last ten years and my record is there to speak for itself, I have never gone to the extent of being a racist because I am not a racist.   [/perfectpullquote]

“I don’t want to dwell on what happened, because it already happened, I apologized immediately to Yanga fans and Tanzanian people because of the comments and now it is time to move on.

“You can see even some players from Yanga are supporting me, even those I worked with in Kenya  are behind me, because they know I am not a racist, this issue has been too much for me now, and gone too far, it is even destroying my family and kids.”

Eymael has worked at the likes of Free State Stars, Polokwane City and Black Leopards in South Africa as well as AFC Leopards in Kenya, Rayon Sports in Rwanda, and JS Kairouan in Tunisia.

Meanwhile, the Tanzanian Football Association has sent an official complaint to FIFA regarding the coach’s alleged conduct at Yanga.

The South Africa Football Association also weighed in with their condemnation of the Belgian tactician, banning him from operating in the country for life.

Eymael holds the UEFA Pro Licence, the highest football coaching qualification. He received the UEFA Pro Licence in 2007 and the UEFA A License which he received on 10 September 2002, from the Royal Belgian Football Association.