Gabala FC striker: I swear that never said racist words - INTERVIEW

Baku. 19 February. REPORT.AZ/ Report News Agency presents an interview with the player of Gabala FC and Azerbaijan national team Ruslan Gurbanov on incident after match with Zira FC.

- You were one of the participants of an incident at the end of the game with Zira. What happened there?

- Believe me, I don’t know. I suddenly saw that Sadio Tounkara and Urfan Abbasov push each other. At that time, I was in the back. You can see it from the video. But it seems that they conspired against me.

- Zira striker Richard Gadze has accused you of racism...

- When I hear such things, I want to laugh. Maybe, Gadze has confused me with someone else. I did not argue with him or even talked to him at all. He's talking nonsense. Allah sees everything. In that case I am clean.

- Then why were you one of the activists during the clashes?

- I say once again: I have never had conversation with Gadze. I do not know where it came from. I just told Sadio Tounkara a few words. But in response, he said such words that I can never disclose.

- I can put my hand on Quran and swear that I have never said such a words. In particular, to Gadze. I didn’t have a quarrel with him. Why do they mention my name in this conversation?

- Maybe Gadze wanted to say that you said racist words to Sadio Tounkara?

- This is nonsense. I would never say racist statements. There is no need to invent that I insulted someone. I swear to Allah that I didn’t even speak to him. I didn’t tell such a words neither to Gadze nor to Tounkara. It was written that I attacked Gadze. But when you watch the video everything is clear and obvious. I received a yellow card. Therefore, I knew that they will act provocatively against me. Maybe, for that reason Tounkara started to play in such a way. But I resisted provocations.

- Do not you think your name is often called in scandals because of your temperamental nature?

- I'm not used to losing. That is why maybe I am emotional. Let them not denigrate my reputation with unrealistic words. Do I complain against Tounkara (showing his cut in leg). Tounkara plays roughly and I do not say anything. Because such things happen in football. I just told him play accurate. He responded with swear word. Then i swore him as well. I don’t understand what does Gadze has to do with this. I didn’t speak with him.