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[Football] Greg Clarke FA education 101.



AmexRuislip

Trainee Spy 🕵️‍♂️
Feb 2, 2014
33,727
Ruislip
Can't these idiots ever get things correct ???


Football Association chairman Greg Clarke has apologised for a reference to black players when talking to MPs about diversity.

Clarke said it was inappropriate for him to have used the term "coloured footballers".

He had been talking by video link to members of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport select committee.

"If I said it, I deeply apologise," said Clarke, 63, after being prompted to say sorry by MP Kevin Brennan.

"I am a product of having worked overseas, in the USA for many years, where I was required to use the term 'people of colour' because that was a product of their diversity legislature. Sometimes I trip over my words."

Brennan said it was the kind of language that did not encourage inclusion, while fellow committee member Alex Davies-Jones called it "abhorrent".

The equality charity Kick It Out said his remark should be "consigned to the dustbin of history" and criticised further comments by Clarke concerning people from South Asia, gay players and female footballers.

An FA spokesperson said afterwards that Clarke acknowledged his language was inappropriate.

"Greg Clarke is deeply apologetic for the language he used to reference members of the ethnic minority community during the select committee hearing today," said the spokesperson.

Clarke had been talking about racist abuse of players by trolls on social media.

"People can see if you're black and if they don't like black people because they are filthy racists, they can abuse you anonymously online," he said.

He had earlier spoken of the need to attract people into the sport from a range of communities.

"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," said Clarke.

Clarke had actually been called to give evidence to the DCMS committee about the Premier League's potential bailout of English Football League clubs and the structural reforms proposed as part of 'Project Big Picture'.

'Ten EFL clubs struggling to pay wages this month'
But he prompted further criticism when referring to gay players making a "life choice" and a coach telling him young female players did not like having the ball hit hard at them.

Clarke was also criticised three years ago after an appearance before the committee when he used the term "fluff" to describe claims of institutional racism and promised "a full cultural review, top to bottom".

Reaction
Sanjay Bhandari, executive chair at Kick It Out, said Clarke's comments were outdated.

"I was particularly concerned by the use of lazy racist stereotypes about South Asians and their supposed career preferences. It reflects similar lazy stereotypes I have heard have been spouted at club academy level," he said.

"Being gay is not a 'life choice' as he claimed too. The casual sexism of saying 'girls' do not like balls hit at them hard, is staggering from anyone, let alone the leader of our national game. It is completely unacceptable."

Darren Bent, former England striker: "Slip of the tongue was it? Awful, just awful."

Anton Ferdinand, former West Ham, Sunderland and QPR defender: "Clearly education is needed at all levels."

Julian Knight, DCMS select committee chairman: "It's right that Greg Clarke apologised before the committee. However, this isn't the first time that the FA has come to grief over these issues. It makes us question their commitment to diversity."

Alex Davies-Jones, committee member: "The language used by Greg Clarke in our meeting this morning was absolutely abhorrent. It speaks volumes about the urgent progress that needs to made in terms of leadership on equalities issues in sport. I can't believe we're still here in 2020."


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54878817
 


Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patreon
Oct 8, 2003
49,341
Faversham
What a plum.

I wonder if in his case it is a lifestyle choice?

Perhaps he'll have the humilty to make the lifestyle choice to resign......
 


Eeyore

Lord Donkey of Queen's Park
NSC Patreon
Apr 5, 2014
23,381
There is still a lot of education needed, but if this causes outrage then I worry about what the major issues do.

The term 'coloured' has only in more recent times been deemed inappropriate. A while back it was seen as racial slur. Many folk will still not be aware of this.

An apology and better understanding is needed. It seems the reasonable thing to do.

Sanjay Bhandari is right in his description, and he doesn't go over the top in his assessment of the situation.

Note: Please no 'likes' from the far-right NSC groupies. Racism, sexism and homophobia are major issues that need addressing in all parts of society.
 


studio150

Well-known member
Jul 30, 2011
29,555
On the Border
"If I said it, I deeply apologise,"

So not really an apology.

Should resign or be sacked as clearly not up to representing the FA in today's world.
 


SAC

Well-known member
May 21, 2014
2,534
"If I said it, I deeply apologise,"

So not really an apology.

Should resign or be sacked as clearly not up to representing the FA in today's world.

Possibly representing the FA all too well. I suspect that many of big cheeses at FA HQ don't understand what the fuss is about.
 




SAC

Well-known member
May 21, 2014
2,534
There is still a lot of education needed, but if this causes outrage then I worry about what the major issues do.

The term 'coloured' has only in more recent times been deemed inappropriate. A while back it was seen as racial slur. Many folk will still not be aware of this.

An apology and better understanding is needed. It seems the reasonable thing to do.

Sanjay Bhandari is right in his description, and he doesn't go over the top in his assessment of the situation.

Note: Please no 'likes' from the far-right NSC groupies. Racism, sexism and homophobia are major issues that need addressing in all parts of society.

I'm in my mid 50s and can't remember a time when the term coloured was acceptable. My late father in law used it but I suspect it was mainly to wind me up.
 


Giraffe

VERY part time moderator
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patreon
Aug 8, 2005
26,456
The best thing the FA could do is phone Paul Barber and offer him enough money to head up the FA and sort them out once and for all. May not be good for us but it would be good for football in general.

However I fear he is waiting for the Premier League top job to come along.
 


Eeyore

Lord Donkey of Queen's Park
NSC Patreon
Apr 5, 2014
23,381
I'm in my mid 50s and can't remember a time when the term coloured was acceptable. My late father in law used it but I suspect it was mainly to wind me up.

I think the pace at which people learn these things differs. About 15 years ago I innocently use the term 'half caste' to describe someone of mixed race. It was a hangover from the indoctrination of my youth. If a person doesn't know then they just, well, don't know. They need educating.

If people use the terms with intent then that is another matter.
 




dejavuatbtn

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2010
7,128
Henfield
I'm in my mid 50s and can't remember a time when the term coloured was acceptable. My late father in law used it but I suspect it was mainly to wind me up.

I am in my mid 60s and have spent my life trying to keep up with what is appropriate. Even in the Cubs we had a lad of colour and looking back, even the scoutmasters used nicknames for him that would have them removed pdq today.
It is sad to see some older people struggling to adjust their thinking and with the times. I don’t think many people intend to use the wrong language but when you are in a senior position and you cause embarrassment to yourself, your peers and the populous by digging a deeper and deeper hole, perhaps it’s time to go.
 


Live by the sea

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2016
4,718
If it was a recent change in descriptive language , I’d have some sympathy but coloured used to describe black people hasn’t been used since late 1970’s so that’s 40 years .. quite a long time for most people .
 


Official Old Man

Uckfield Seagull
Aug 27, 2011
8,486
Brighton
He's gone.

But I was going to start a thread about this. He's 63 and I'm 65. In the past, and that's a long time ago, the word coloured was the normal word to use. It was not racist I don't think, it was the word used instead of black. Whilst I do not use that word any more, under pressure in front of a group of MP's maybe I could slip into old talk. He did go on to talk about Asians I believe and many of the things he said were not right in this day and in no way am I defending him, other than it could so easily be anyone aged 60 or over.
Waiting to be shot down but hope someone will defend me.
 
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Dec 29, 2011
8,014
"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," said Clarke.

This is worse IMO. It wasn't a one word slip of the tongue, it shows a deep rooted prejudice against people of different ethnicities.
 




blue-shifted

Banned
Feb 20, 2004
7,645
a galaxy far far away
He doesn't deserve to be branded a racist.

However, words matter. If you're in the top positions where you represent our football and have to champion diversity, you get paid the big bucks to get these things right.

Had to go
 






blue-shifted

Banned
Feb 20, 2004
7,645
a galaxy far far away
"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," said Clarke.

This is worse IMO. It wasn't a one word slip of the tongue, it shows a deep rooted prejudice against people of different ethnicities.

Well they do have different career interests. It's indisputably true that different ethnicities gravitate towards different professions, however Clark needed to be much more careful with his language if talking about this subject.
 




Live by the sea

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2016
4,718
Really - you must have been living under a rock then - Corbyn is a nasty piece of work - however I won’t go there , don’t want to derail this thread .
 


macbeth

Dismembered
Jan 3, 2018
3,650
six feet beneath the moon...
He's gone.

But I was going to start a thread about this. He's 63 and I'm 65. In the past, and that's a long time ago, the word coloured was the normal word to use. It was not racist I don't think, it was the word used instead of black. Whilst I do not use that word any more, under pressure in front of a group of MP's maybe I could slip into old talk. He did go on to talk about Asians I believe and many of the things he said were not right in this day and in no way am I defending him, other than it could so easily be anyone aged 60 or over.
Waiting to be shot down but hope someone will defend me.

Whilst that language is wholly unacceptable these days, there probably is a generational gap. However for someone of his position to be that oblivious to what is and isn't acceptable these days frankly isn't good enough.

If the FA want to be seen as modernising the game and fighting back against discrimination then a chairman who makes comments such as this should have no place the in FA
 
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