Emre banned for verbally abusing Didier Zokora

Former Newcastle midfielder Emre has been banned for two matches after verbally abusing Trabzonspor's Didier Zokora.

Emre admitted to insulting the former Tottenham Hotspur man during a league game between Fenerbahce and Trabzonspor but insists that there was no racial malice, a statement with which Zokora disagrees.

"Emre and I had an argument during the game. I beg your pardon for saying this, but he insulted me by saying n*gger," said Ivorian international Zokora.

"What upsets me more is how disgraceful it is for a player who has African team mates like [Senegal's Moussa] Sow and [Nigeria's Joseph] Yobo to insult an African from another team."

The Turkish Football Disciplinary Committee (PFDK) deemed that the abuse was not racial and inflicted a ban of just two games.

"If I have even a little bit of racism, may God take my heart away from this body," Emre said.

Liverpool's Luis Suarez was banned for eight games in December after being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra.