WHITE players have received an official apology for the racist abuse they experienced during a football tournament organised to promote racial harmony

Last Fridays Bury Times reported how the Forever Bury FC under-19s team stormed off in anger midway through a six-a-side tournament after being racially taunted by Asian players and their supporters.

This week the organisers, the Asian Development Association of Bury, Bury Sports Development Council and Bury Councils park rangers, issued a joint statement apologising to the team and guaranteeing that future tournaments would be properly stewarded to stop such incidents reoccurring.

Representatives from each of the organisations met last Friday to discuss the incident in which white players claimed they were called white bastards and much worse. The meeting was also attended by the manager of Forever Bury FC.

In the statement, organisers condemned the behaviour of some of the Asians as abhorrent and totally unacceptable. The alleg- ations are being investigated by the police.

The statement said: In future no such gaps in stewarding will be left to chance and they wish to express their apologies and regrets for such failings, which led to some hooligans taking advantage of the situation and causing upset and distress to the players of Forever Bury.