There’s no doubt that El Hadji Diouf is a man that’s played with an incredible amount of fiery passion since his introduction to Premiership football with Liverpool (who signed the forward / winger following his 2002 World Cup breakout performance with Senegal).

But the controversy that has followed the 28 year old during moves from Liverpool to Bolton to Sunderland and presently with Blackburn has started to over shadow the players abilities on the pitch, with this past weekends accusations during and post match at Everton having the ability to be the most serious so far.

Via DailyMail

Merseyside Police are still investigating Diouf’s altercation with the 13-year-old, in which he allegedly mouthed a racial obscenity after being unhappy at the way the ball was thrown back to him.

Breaking his silence over the latest flashpoint in a troubled career, the 28-year-old Senegalese said: ‘People threw bananas at me, and the referee told me that he would report this to the police. I have had problems before, but never anything like the ones I had on Sunday. I don’t want to let this matter rest.’

However, Merseyside Police have had no contact from referee Lee Mason and an inquiry into Diouf’s claims, minutes after the final whistle, unearthed no evidence to support them.

Summoned from the away dressing room, Diouf responded to police questions about the ballboy’s complaint by telling them he had been bombarded with bananas near the corner flag on the far side of the Gwladys Street end.

‘The ballboy threw it to me like he’d throw a bone to a dog,’ he said. ‘The linesman told me he had seen what happened, but said that we had to keep the game going and that we would see about it at half-time.

‘It is intolerable for a kid to say things like that. I have had other problems, with spitting or fights on the pitch – but not with racism. I can understand that they don’t like me at Everton, but to say that I uttered racist words towards a child is nonsense.

‘I don’t only have black friends. For example, I get on very well with Gael Givet at Blackburn. All this is not El Hadji Diouf. I have not done anything.’

Via DailyMail

Everton insist there is no police investigation into allegations by El Hadji Diouf that bananas were thrown at him at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Officers immediately scoured the area next to the pitch and in the stands but no bananas were found. No pictures have surfaced to back up his claim either.

‘Our only concern is a child protection matter involving a 14-year-old boy,’ an Everton spokesman said. ‘We have spoken to the police and have been told that is the only investigation they are concerned with and that they are not investigating the behaviour of any Everton supporter.’

Diouf, a Senegal international who formerly played for Liverpool, also denied he had racially abused the ball boy.

‘People threw bananas at me, and the referee told me that he would report this to the police,’ he told Monte Carlo Radio.

He added: ‘I have had other problems, with spitting or fights on the pitch – but not with racism.

‘I can understand that they don’t like me at Everton, but to say that I uttered racist words towards a child is nonsense.’

Image via Mirror