England refuse to play Spain in Madrid

England refuse to play a proposed international friendly against Spain in Madrid next February after racist chants at the Bernabeu stadium on their last visit four years ago.

LONDON // England have refused to play a proposed international friendly match against the European Champions Spain in Madrid next February after racist chants at the Bernabeu stadium on their last visit four years ago. The Spanish federation were fined 100,000 Swiss francs (Dh322,631) after Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Jermain Defoe and Jermaine Jenas were racially abused in the Real Madrid stadium.

The Football Association (FA) director of communications Adrian Bevington told talkSPORT radio today the fixture had been requested by the head coach Fabio Capello. "But as yet, a venue is still to be confirmed and the contract still to be signed," he said. "However, from the outset, the FA, with Fabio, were clear we would not play the fixture in Madrid due to the incidents of racial abuse we faced last time."

A Fifa spokeswoman said the choice of a venue was a matter for the two football associations. "It's basically up to them where they want to play," she said. Last month, the world governing body fined the Croatia Football Federation 30,000 Swiss francs after supporters taunted the England striker Emile Heskey with racial slurs during a World Cup qualifier. The England midfielder Steven Gerrard told an England team news conference he would be delighted at the opportunity to play the European Champions.

"But I think it's the right idea to have it at a different venue from the Bernabeu," he said. *Reuters