Yaya Toure Underappreciated Due to Racism In Sport, Claims Agent

Yaya Toure’s controversial agent Dmitri Seluk has struck again. Just months after claiming Toure wanted a move away from Barclays Premier League Champion Manchester City because the club snubbed him on his birthday, Seluk has once again created a firestorm.

This time the subject is the World Player of the Year award known as the Ballon d’Or and the FWA and PFA awards that are given to the top player in England’s domestic game.

Seluk said:

“If he was white, 100 percent he would have won one of those top awards. He is a bit upset about the situation. Messi is the top player in the history of football and I respect Ronaldo and Ribery a lot. Yaya respects all these players. But for an African in these awards it is hard. Fifa needs to change something.”

“I don’t want to talk too much about racism or the politics of football, but he does not get the praise he should get. Yaya has three times in a row won the African Player of the Year, but it is different with the other awards.”

Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea Manager has argued that the player of the year award in England should go to the top player on the title winning team. Manchester City has won two titles in the past three seasons, and most analysis concludes that without Yaya Toure’s contributions the club would not have achieved what it has in recent seasons. Toure is widely regarded as one of the top players in the Premier League. Regarding Mourinho’s comments Seluk said:

“I agree with Jose Mourinho when he said that the (English) Player of the Year should come from the team that wins the title. I have very much respect for Suarez and Gerrard, but what Yaya did from midfield, not often a player can do this.”

Toure finished the 2013-14 Premier League season with 20 goals, which was the most by a midfielder since Frank Lampard scored 22 goals during in the 2009-10 season. Like Lampard’s Chelsea team that year, Manchester City won the league title. Toure just completed captianing the Ivory Coast side in the World Cup. The Elephants were eliminated by a stoppage time winner from Greece in the final group stage match.