FA chairman Greg Clarke criticised for 'completely unacceptable' and 'abhorrent' comments
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 10/11/2020 at 17:38 GMT
Greg Clarke has come in for strong criticism after comments made to MPs during talks with the Department for Digital, Media and Sport. The FA chairman used the word "coloured" and said being gay is a “life choice”, along with other controversial statements. Kick It Out and Women in Football have both released strongly-worded statements in response.
Greg Clarke
Image credit: Getty Images
Football Association chairman Greg Clarke has been criticised for “completely unacceptable” comments and language that should “remain consigned to the dustbin of history”.
Clarke, who has now resigned from his role, apologised after using the word “coloured” while answering questions from MPs during talks with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on Tuesday.
He also said being gay is a “life choice”, that "girls" do not like balls hit at them hard and “if you go to the IT department at the FA there's a lot more South Asians than there are Afro Caribbeans. They have different career interests.”
His comments have been met with strong criticism, including from football’s leading anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out.
"I was extremely disappointed to see Greg Clarke's comments today in the DCMS select committee," said Kick It Out chairman Sanjay Bhandari in a statement.
“His use of outdated language to describe Black and Asian people as "coloured" is from decades ago and should remain consigned to the dustbin of history. Being gay is not a 'life choice' as he claimed too.
"The casual sexism of saying 'girls' do not like balls hit at them hard, is staggering from anyone, let alone the leader of our national game. It is completely unacceptable.”
Women in Football have also criticised Clarke for using “outdated stereotypes”.
“It does not reflect the football that we know and love, and it actively excludes people by seeking to generalise their unique experiences with a guess at what ‘people who look like them’ feel, experience and desire,” read a statement.
“At Women in Football, we work tirelessly to make sure that football is open and welcome to all. Our priority will always be to stand up for every girl, woman and non-binary person in football regardless of background, race, heritage, sexuality or ability.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with other groups and communities who have been affected by Mr Clarke’s comments.”
Former England striker Stan Collymore said Clarke was “flat out racial profiling” while MP Alex Davies-Jones, a member of the DCMS select committee, called the language “absolutely abhorrent”.
She tweeted: “It speaks volumes about the urgent progress that needs to made in terms of leadership on equalities issues in sport. I can't believe we're *still* here in 2020.”
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement