FA chairman Clarke quits after ‘coloured footballers’ remark

Greg Clarke has resigned as English Football Association chairman hours after referring to “coloured footballers” throughout questions from members of parliament on Tuesday. The 63-year-old was broadly criticised after making a sequence of inappropriate feedback whereas taking questions from members of the Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) choose committee.

“We can confirm that Greg Clarke has stepped down from his role as our chairman,” the FA stated in an announcement. “Peter McCormick will step into the role as interim FA Chairman with immediate effect and the FA Board will begin the process of identifying and appointing a new chair in due course.”

Former Leicester City chairman Clarke, 63, was appointed by the FA in 2016 since when the governing physique has labored exhausting to enhance its stuffy picture and turn into extra inclusive. However, Clarke’s outdated terminology on Tuesday led to outrage amongst anti-racism organisations and gamers.

“I was extremely disappointed to see Greg Clarke’s comments today in the DCMS select committee,” stated Kick It Out chairman Sanjay Bhandari. “His use of outdated language to describe black and Asian people as “coloured” is from a long time in the past and may stay consigned to the dustbin of historical past.”

Clarke had been requested to attend the DCMS assembly remotely to debate the monetary influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the delay within the Premier League’s monetary rescue package deal for the English Football League (EFL). But when questions turned to variety inside the FA’s ranks he started to attain verbal personal targets at an alarming price.

CLARKE APOLOGY

Asked in regards to the problem homosexual gamers within the males’s sport confronted in ‘coming out’ within the social media age, Clarke stated: “If I look at what happens to high-profile female footballers, to high-profile coloured footballers, and the abuse they take on social media… social media is a free-for-all.”

DCMS committee member Kevin Brennan MP later picked up Clarke on his alternative of phrases. “If I said it I deeply regret it,” Clarke replied. “I am a product of working overseas, where I was required to use the phrase people of colour. Sometimes I trip over my words.”

The FA additionally issued an announcement saying Clarke acknowledged that the time period ‘coloured’ was not acceptable. Clarke was additionally criticised for different feedback throughout the assembly. Talking about variety inside soccer, he stated South Asians and Afro-Caribbean folks had “different career interests”, and he used his personal organisation for instance.

“BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) communities are not an amorphous mass,” he stated. “If you look at top level football the Afro-Caribbean community is over-represented compared to the South Asian community.

“If you go to the IT department of the FA there’s a lot more South Asians than there are Afro-Caribbeans. They have different career interests.”

Clarke additionally referred to homosexual gamers making a “life choice” — prompting additional criticism. Labour MP Alex Davies-Jones, whose query provoked Clarke’s “coloured footballers” remark, stated his terminology confirmed the “urgent progress” that’s wanted on equality.

“I can’t believe we’re still here in 2020,” she stated.