What did Greg Clarke say? The ex-FA chairman’s comments on race, women and sexuality explained - and why he resigned

Greg Clarke has resigned as chairman of the FA after he made “harmful, archaic” and “deeply offensive” remarks.

The 63-year-old was heavily criticised by players, fans and anti-discrimination groups after he made a series of derogatory comments during a video link appearance before a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee.

The FA announced Clarke’s resignation early on Tuesday evening and Kick It Out chair Sanjay Bhandari was among those who welcomed the swift action taken.

Bhandari said on Sky Sports News: “We are not just talking about anybody here, we are talking about the leader of our national game on a really major strategic issue for the FA, which is driving greater diversity and inclusion, making everyone feel they belong in the game.

What did he say?

During a committee hearing with a group of MPs, Greg Clarke made heavily criticised comments on race, sexuality and women.

In particular he was criticised for use of the outdated term ‘coloured’.

Asked by Labour MP Alex Davies-Jones about the absence of high-profile gay players in the game by, he said: “If I look at what happens to high-profile female footballers, high-profile coloured footballers and the abuse they take on social media … they take absolutely terrible abuse. Why would you voluntarily sign up for that kind of abuse. As soon as you put your hand up the dark corners of social media come for you.”

On the challenge of making football more inclusive he said: “If you go to the IT department at the FA, there’s a lot more South Asians than there are Afro-Caribbeans. They have different career interests.”

Mr Clarke then referred to homosexuality as “a life choice”

He said: “The real issue is once you run out in front of 60,000 people and you decided on Monday that you wanted to disclose your sexuality – and I would never pressure anybody to disclose their sexuality – what I would want to do is to know that anybody who runs out onto the pitch and says, ‘I’m gay. I’m proud of it and I’m happy. It’s a life choice, and I’ve made it because my life is a better place’, I’d like to believe and I do believe they would have the support of their mates in the changing room.”

On women in football, Clarke said that they don’t like having “the ball kicked at them hard”.

He stated: “I talked to a coach – and I’m not certain this is true – and said, ‘what’s the issue with goalkeepers in the women’s game?’ She said, ‘young girls, when they take up the game (aged) six, seven, eight, just don’t like having the ball kicked at them hard’, right? They prefer to kick it than have it kicked at them. We have to understand we need to look at different ways to bring women into the goalkeeper’s position.”

Reaction to comments

Following the hearing MP Davies-Jones was heavily critical of Clarke’s comments, stating: “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.”

Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole said that the comments must be used as an opportunity to make genuine progress on diversity.

Cole told BBC Breakfast: “He was in a position to know that the word ‘coloured’ is not a word to be used, and he has lost his job now due to that.

“But we keep talking about diversity, now hopefully we will continue to progress and keep moving forward and doing the right things.

“I just shake my head and I just laugh, because him being in that position he’s supposed to be better – he’s fighting the cause for diversity.

“We used to wear t-shirts once a year or whatever it was, that’s just not enough. That’s how I feel about it. When I talk about progression, it means we have to progress.”

Kick It Out chair Sanjay Bhandari said: “We are not just talking about anybody here, we are talking about the leader of our national game on a really major strategic issue for the FA, which is driving greater diversity and inclusion, making everyone feel they belong in the game.

“These were archaic attitudes which were really revealing themselves in comment after comment – a well-briefed chair or CEO would know exactly how to navigate that.

“It is not as if this is the first time, there have been previous incidents – like referring to institutional racism as ‘fluff’.

“What it shows is there is an attitude underlying which is really not the right attitude to be leading the English game.”

Cole’s former teammate Gary Neville added: “Compelling evidence again yesterday as to why an independent regulator is required for football. Football cannot govern itself!”