Olimpija Ljubljana coach calls Nigerian player 'black idiot', Keeps job after issuing an apology

Marko Nikolic issued an apology for calling Nigerian striker Blessing Eleke a 'black idiot' after he celebrated an injury-time equalise.

The head coach of Slovenian league leaders Olimpija Ljubljana will keep his job after apologising for calling one of his own players a “black idiot” because he celebrated after scoring a late equaliser.

Marko Nikolic has apologised both publicly and privately to Nigerian striker Blessing Eleke for his comments, which came after Olimpija’s 1-1 draw at home with Zavrc on Sunday.

With Olimpija trailing as they headed into injury time, Eleke scored an equalising header before celebrating emphatically instead of running back to his own half for the restart, with Nikolic incensed that his side weren’t able to push for a late winner due to the time wasted during the celebrations.

Nikolic says that he made “an emotional reaction” in calling Eleke a “black idiot”, and thanked both the players and the club for not condoning him as a racist and for understanding that his offensive remark was said in the heat of the moment without him thinking.

“I never intended to offend the player racially or otherwise and I don’t want to be associated with intolerance, racism or discrimination of any kind,” Nikolic told the club’s official website.

“I spoke to Eleke and he said he understood my reaction because emotional outbursts of this kind can happen. I apologise for my reaction generated solely by the rush to score the winning goal after getting a 92nd-minute equaliser and I thank the team for not judging my act as racist.”

Olimpja’s club president, the former Leicester City and Portsmouth owner Milan Mandaric, confirmed that while there is no excuses for Nikolic’s remark, he did not intend to direct it at Eleke’s race and would therefore keep his job, having held discussions with both the player and manager.