FC Rostov players are demanding the dismissal of the club's coach Igor Gamula over the racist remarks the 54 year-old made last week in a post-match news conference.

Rostov South African defender Siyanda Xulu, one of the six Africans in the squad, pledged to stand up against racism.

"We just hope that Rostov as a club will make the necessary recommendations and in our view should get rid of the coach.

"I spoke with Siyanda this morning and I also spoke to the club. The intention was to meet with the president and get this situation sorted out, but not to train under this current coach.

"We've got to stand together and stamp racism out of football." said Xulu's agent Paul Mitchell to the BBC.

Gamula's remarks came after the Russian coach was asked in a post-match interview (31 October) whether the club would sign the Cameroon defender Benoit Angbwa. Gamula replied saying the club had "enough dark-skinned players, we've got six of the things".

At the time, the Russian coach also said that five of the club's Russian players were ill with a high temperature and joked that the Ebola epidemic was the cause.

"I'm already worrying it's Ebola," he said, before adding that the reference to the disease was "a joke, obviously."

On Monday (3 November), Gamula apologised for the comments as the African players he referred to in the press conference threatened to strike.

Gamula was recently cleared by the Russian Football Union of a disciplinary charge relating to a TV interview in which he shouted at a journalist and criticised a referee.