Mido: Terrorist taunts no problem

Mido today hit back at the fans who subjected him to racist abuse during Tottenham's 1-0 defeat by Southampton.

Tottenham's Egytian striker was allegedly labelled a "shoe bomber" by around a dozen home supporters, prompting the South Coast club to launch an inquiry.

But Mido, who claims it is the first time he has been subjected to racial abuse, insists such comments won't affect him.

The 22-year-old said: ''I am here to play football, help my team qualify to Europe and not to talk about politics. It is their problem if they find these remarks funny. It is not an issue for me.

"I don't care about these people. I will do my best to help my team and my club and will stay focused in football and nothing else."

The Mido "attack" has prompted fears among antiracism campaigners that Arab players could be targeted as a result of British involvement in the war on Iraq.

Leon Mann, a spokesman for the anti-racist campaign Kick It Out said: "Although some people understand that this kind of chanting is racist, there are others who do not see it in the same terms as, for example, a monkey chant."