A club fired its coach for being racist

The Stromsgodset club, of the first division of Norwegian football, today sacked its technical director, the Danish Henrik Pedersen, accused of being racist by his own players, a charge that he himself categorically rejects.

"It isn't the end I wanted. I do not agree at all with the accusations that have been made to me or with how the process has been carried out", reacted Pedersen, 43, after the communication of his unemployment by the institution .

"The accusations according to which I made discriminatory comments contrast with my values as a man and a leader. I have always defended zero tolerance against all forms of prejudice or discrimination on the basis of skin color, ethnicity, sex or sexual orientation and religious", he defended himself.

The Norwegian club's board of directors made the decision after meetings with members of the professional team and in the midst of accusations against the coach for racist comments, the content of which was not disclosed, the AFP agency said.