England FA chairman, Greg Clarke, has resigned in the wake of referring to black and minority ethnic (BAME) footballers as “coloured” while giving evidence to MPs.
Clarke while answering a question around the difficulty of gay players in the men’s game coming out because of social media backlash, used the phrase during a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee meeting on Tuesday.
The former FA chairman said: “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.”
Kevin Brennan MP, a DCMS committee member checkmated Clarke instantly and asked if he wished to withdraw the use of the outdated word “coloured“.
“If I said it, I deeply apologise for it,” Clarke replied.
“Secondly, I am a product of having worked overseas, I worked in the USA for many years, where I was required to use the term ‘people of colour’ sometimes because that was the product of their diversity legislation and positive discrimination format. Sometimes I trip over my words.”
Clarke, after his resignation said he “put the interests of football first” when making the decision to step down – something he had been “actively considering for some time” – and apologised again for his comments.
His resignation statement read: “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 and resign from the FA with immediate effect.”
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