SAN FRANCISCO, November 10, (THEWILL) – Greg Clarke, chairman of the English Football Association, has resigned from his position after his use of the words “coloured footballers” in a meeting with a parliamentary committee on Tuesday.
The 63-year old had earlier issued a prompt apology for the comment but continued coverage and debate over it led Clarke to determine he should “put the interests of football first” and take the decision to step down.
Although Clarke said it was a decision he had already been contemplating even before the controversy.
The FA issued a statement confirming Clarke’s departure. It read:
“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.
“We would also like to reaffirm that as an organisation, we are absolutely committed to doing everything we can to promote diversity, address inequality, and tackle all forms of discrimination in the game.”
The now ex-chairman had attended a meeting with the United Kingdom’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee alongside Premier League chief Richard Masters and English Football League boss Rick Parry.
They were to address a number of matters in English football, including the infamous Project Big Picture and the sport’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
In the course of all that, when asked about abuse athletes receive on social media, Clarke used the words “high-profile coloured footballers” in his response. He was then offered the opportunity to withdraw the comment and subsequently apologised, saying he had tripped over his words.
ALSO READ: Bartomeu, FC Barcelona President, Resigns
The FA was prompt in releasing a statement on the matter at the time, which read:
“Greg Clarke is deeply apologetic for the language he used to reference members of the ethnic minority community during the select committee hearing today.
“He acknowledged that using the term ‘coloured’ is not appropriate and wholeheartedly apologised during the hearing.”
However, later in the day, Clarke explained he had decided to resign from the FA with immediate effect.
“As a person who loves football and has given decades of service to our game, it is right that I put the interests of football first,” he said.
“2020 has been a challenging year and I have been actively considering standing down for some time to make way for a new chair now our CEO transition is complete and excellent executive leadership under Mark Bullingham is established.
“My unacceptable words in front of parliament were a disservice to our game and to those who watch, play, referee and administer it. This has crystallised my resolve to move on.
“I am deeply saddened that I have offended those diverse communities in football that I and others worked so hard to include. I would like to thank my friends and colleagues in the game for the wisdom and counsel they have shared over the years.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
