Croatia fined over Heskey abuse

Fifa has fined the Croatian Football Federation £15,000 for racist behaviour by their fans during the World Cup qualifier with England on 10 September.

Monkey chants were heard from a section of the Maksimir Stadium when England striker Emile Heskey was booked for fouling Niko Kovac.

The Football Association made an official complaint to world football's governing body after England's 4-1 win.

Heskey later branded the fans "ignorant people" and said he ignored them.

"You have to let the people above deal with that and I will carry on playing my game," added the Wigan striker.

A statement from Fifa said: "Racism has no place in football.

"Fifa is determined to continue broadcasting this message around the globe and deploying all of the means at its disposal to eliminate this form of discrimination."

"I will carry on playing my game"
Emile Heskey

Croatia were also given a small fine during Euro 2008 for racist abuse from their fans during their game against Turkey.

Heskey has been racially abused while on England duty before, in Slovakia in 2002, while Shaun Wright-Phillips and Ashley Cole were subjected to monkey chants in a friendly against Spain in Madrid in 2004.

An FA spokesman said: "We repeat our position that we will not accept any racial abuse of any England players. There can be no place for racist behaviour in football or society."

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