Sack this bigot!

Bafana Bafana central defender Siyanda Xulu is "disgusted" at racist comments made by his Rostov Football Club coach and will stay away from training until after a meeting with the Russian Premier League club's president today.

The club was plunged into controversy at the weekend after racist remarks by its interim coach, Xulu's boss, Igor Gamula.

Asked by reporters whether he would consider signing Cameroon player Benoit Angbwa, Gamula is reported to have replied that he had "enough dark-skinned players; we've got six of the things".

Xulu is one of the club's African stars, along with players from Angola, Ivory Coast, Gabon and Mali.

Gamula threw a "joke" about the Ebola virus into his comments, saying, after five of his players had reported having a fever: "I am already worrying it's Ebola." He insisted later that he had merely been joking.

SA Football Association president Danny Jordaan said he would complain to Fifa.

Xulu referred The Times to his manager, Paul Mitchell, who relayed the player's "disgust" .

Mitchell said he had told Xulu to stay away from training.

"We've written a strongly worded letter to the club requesting a meeting and we should hear from them today.

"I personally would love to see the back of the coach. I think his conduct amounts to bringing both the club and the image of the 2018 Fifa World Cup hosts into disrepute. He should be sacked," said Mitchell.

Jordaan said: "Those comments are definitely regrettable. This comes hot on the heels of the Yaya Toure incident in which he was apparently racially abused by a section of the CSKA Moscow fans.

"We will write to Fifa expressing our concern because, as World Cup host, Russia will be receiving visitors from all parts of the world, including Africa and Asia, so this kind of attitude just cannot be tolerated."

The racial flare-up is not the only problem plaguing Rostov.

Club sources have revealed that Rostov is in financial trouble and that players have not been paid for the past two or three months.

Rostov is backed financially by the Russian government, which is said to be taking considerable financial strain as a result of sanctions imposed by the West because of its adventurism in the Ukraine. This has resulted in dwindling financial support for the club.

Russia is not known for its racial tolerance, especially in football, and these latest comments have merely added to its dubious record.

Before the coach's outburst Xulu had not been aware of any racial tension. Asked if he had experienced any racism directly, Xulu said: "Not at games or when I walk the streets of Rostov and do my grocery shopping or go to a restaurant. Nobody looks at me as if I'm an animal.

"If we have had a good game sometimes I go to clubs with my teammates and I have never experienced any problems."

Former Rostov defender Matthew Booth, who played for the club between 2002 and 2004, said there were "elements of racism in Russian football but it is very limited, in my opinion".

"If the coach's comments have been correctly reported, then Rostov should impose harsh sanctions on him," said Booth.