Alexei Sorokin denies Russian ''racist'' problem

RUSSIA'S 2018 World Cup bid chief insists the country does not have a problem with racist fans.

By The Newsroom

Published 2nd Sep 2010, 16:36 BST

Updated 2nd Sep 2010, 23:07 BST

Alexei Sorokin, the bid's chief executive, also claimed that a banner aimed at Nigerian striker Peter Odemwingie by Lokomotiv Moscow fans showing a banana and saying: "Thanks West Brom" was not racist. Sorokin claimed in Russia the phrase "to get a banana" is slang for "to fail a test". Sorokin told BBC Sport: "The Russian Football Union doesn't accept any demonstrations of racism."