Saints look at Mido race row
Southampton today launched an urgent inquiry into allegations that Tottenham striker Mido was labelled a "shoe bomber" by home fans during Saturday's Premiership game at St Mary's.
Witnesses claim the Egypt international was subjected to racist abuse from a section of supporters in the Northam Stand.
As well as making derisory comments about Mido's Arab roots, his Islamic faith and, bizarrely, the deposed Taleban regime in Afghanistan, at least a dozen fans were also heard chanting, "Shoe, shoe, shoe bomber," in his direction.
The chant is a reference to Londoner Richard Reid, who was jailed for trying to blow up a plane with explosives concealed in his footwear.
Mido is unlikely to have heard the abuse but one angry Southampton supporter made an official complaint. Today, a Southampton spokeswoman confirmed that an internal investigation had begun.
She said: "Southampton FC take all matters of racial abuse very seriously. We will be looking into these allegations as a matter of urgency."
While racism at Premiership grounds is now less commonplace than in the past, campaigners are concerned that Arab players could be targeted as a result of Britain's involvement in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Leon Mann, a spokesman for Kick It Out - football's anti-racist campaign - 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."
As well as supporting Kick It Out, Southampton are involved in a separate Racism Ain't Saintly initiative.
Chelsea are to receive a complaint over allegations of racism by two of their fans at Norwich. The pair were heard directing racist abuse towards Didier Drogba and singing antisemitic chants about Spurs. WATFORD are slipping back towards the Championship relegation dogfight after a second home defeat in four days.
Kris Commons scored both goals last night in a 2-0 win for second-from-bottom Nottingham Forest at Vicarage Road and Watford manager Ray Lewington said: "My players looked frightened of their own shadows. We seem to have lost all confidence."
