London
English Football Association (FA) chairman Greg Clarke was forced to apologise for using the term “coloured” in reference to black footballers on Tuesday — prompting a senior lawmaker to question the body’s commitment to diversity.
Clarke was giving evidence to the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee (DCMS) on the future of English football.
The 63-year-old, who is a vice-president of world governing body FIFA, also attracted criticism for suggesting the lack of professional players in England from a South Asian background was due to “different career interests”, comparing the situation to the IT department at the FA.
Clarke also described being gay as a “life choice” when quizzed over the lack of openly gay male players in England and said that young girls were often put off playing the game because they did not want to be hit hard by footballs.
In a statement the FA staid: “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, Conservative MP Julian Knight, who chairs the DCMS committee, questioned the FA’s record on the matter.
“It’s right that Greg Clarke apologised before the committee,” he tweeted.—AFP
