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Warning: this report contains offensive language.
Football Association President Greg Clarke resigned over “unacceptable” language to describe black players.
Clarke said he was “deeply saddened” by the offense he had caused by using the term “footballers of color.”
The comments came as he spoke about racist abuse of players by trolls on social media to the selection committee of the Department of Culture, Media, Media and Digital Sports (DCMS) via the video link.
Clarke said his words were a “disservice to our game.”
“We can confirm that Greg Clarke has stepped down from his role as president,” said an FA statement.
“Peter McCormick will take over as Acting President of the FA effective immediately and the FA Board of Directors will begin the process of identifying and appointing a new President in due course.”
After his resignation, Clarke said: “My unacceptable words in front of Parliament were a disservice to our game and to those who watch, play, referee and manage it. This has crystallized my determination to move forward.
“I am deeply saddened to have offended those diverse soccer communities that I and others work so hard to include.”
During the parliamentary hearing, Clarke apologized after MP Kevin Brennan apologized to him.
Brennan said Clarke’s language in reference to black players was the kind that didn’t encourage inclusion, while committee member Alex Davies-Jones called it “abhorrent.”
Clarke had previously spoken of the need to attract people from diverse communities to the sport.
“People can see if you are black and if they don’t like black people because they are filthy racists, they can abuse you anonymously online,” Clarke said.
“If you go to the IT department of the FA, there are many more South Asians than Afro-Caribbeans. They have different professional interests.”
He sparked further criticism when he referred to gay players who made a “life decision” and was told by a coach that young players didn’t like to be hit hard by the ball. “
The equality charity Kick It Out said its comment on black players should “be sent to the dustbin of history” and criticized Clarke’s comments on people from South Asia, gay players and female soccer players.
Clarke had been called in to give evidence to the DCMS committee on the possible bailout of the English Football League clubs from the Premier League and the structural reforms proposed as part of the ‘Big Picture Project’.
“As a person who loves soccer and has provided decades of service to our game, it is right for me to put soccer’s interests first,” Clarke added in the statement confirming his departure.
“2020 has been a challenging year and I have been actively considering resigning for some time to make way for a new president, now that our CEO transition is complete and excellent executive leadership has been established under Mark Bullingham.”
Speaking before the resignation was announced, Sanjay Bhandari, Kick It Out chief executive said Clarke’s comments to DCMS were out of date.
“I was particularly concerned about the use of lazy racist stereotypes about South Asians and their supposed career preferences. It reflects similar lazy stereotypes that I have heard said at the club academy level,” he said.
“Being gay is not a ‘life choice’ as he also claimed. The casual sexism of saying that ‘girls’ don’t like balls that hit them hard is staggering to anyone, much less the leader of our national game. It is completely unacceptable. “
Analysis
BBC Sports Editor Dan Roan
Three years ago, in front of same parliamentary commission, Greg Clarke was criticized for referring to institutional racism as “fluff.” He apologized after being reprimanded by MPs and recalled that language matters.
It seems that the message did not arrive.
Two weeks after the FA launched a new diversity code with the goal of finally addressing racial inequality in the game, the governing body’s commitment to diversity has been challenged again.
Amid the underrepresentation of BAME’s managers and board members, many critics will view Clarke’s comments as evidence of the attitudes and language that have prevented the organization from monitoring expected progress in recent years, and it is not no wonder you decided to step down.
Despite being barely seen since the beginning of the year, Clarke was already under pressure for his role by initiating secret conversations about Project Big Picture’s plans for a radical overhaul of the English game. In fact, earlier at the committee hearing, he was asked if his authority was “skyrocketing”, something he flatly denied.
But then came his comments on diversity. Amid an unprecedented financial crisis for the sport and damaging divisions with fans, leagues and the government, the FA president has now had to address another controversy.
This is another gloomy day for the game, at the worst possible time.
More to follow.
