The president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has accused critics of Luis Aragones of being "racist" towards the national coach following his remarks about French striker Thierry Henry.
"The real racists are those people who are pursuing Luis Aragones," Angel Maria Villar was quoted as saying yesterday.
"There is no more serious type of racism than that shown by those who constantly harass another person and that is what is happening with Luis Aragones - those people are true racists."
Aragones was heard telling Spain striker Jose Antonio Reyes that he was better than "that black s***", referring to the player's Arsenal team-mate Henry, before a World Cup qualifier against Belgium in October.
The 66-year-old Aragones apologised, saying he had never intended to offend anyone.
At the request of the government-run Anti-violence Commission, the RFEF launched a probe into Aragones's behaviour and handed him a €3,000 fine for actions deemed to be contrary to the good order of the game.
Earlier this week the Commission said it would appeal against the fine, saying the matter should have been seen as one related to racism rather than one of decorum.
Villar said that in his view the case should now be closed.