FA chief Martin Glenn sorry for Star of David comment
Monday 5 March 2018 16:20, UK
FA chief executive Martin Glenn has apologised for causing offence over a comment about the Jewish Star of David symbol.
Glenn was accused of being "offensive" and "inappropriate" by the Jewish Leadership Council after referring to the Jewish religious symbol in the same sentence as the swastika and Robert Mugabe.
In a statement issued on Monday, Glenn said: "I would like to apologise for any offence caused by the examples I gave when referring to political and religious symbols in football, specifically in reference to the Star of David, which is a hugely important symbol to Jewish people all over the world. I will be speaking with the Jewish Leadership Council and to Kick It Out to personally apologise."
The Football Association official had been discussing Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola's continued wearing of a yellow ribbon despite it contravening rules over political symbols.
While in Zurich on Sunday he said: "We have re-written Law 4 of the game so that things like a poppy are okay, but things that are going to be highly divisive, and that could be strong religious symbols, it could be the Star of David, it could the hammer and sickle, it could be a swastika, anything like Robert Mugabe on your shirt, these are the things we don't want."
Jewish Leadership Council CEO Simon Johnson said: "I spoke to Martin Glenn today. I explained why his comments yesterday has caused such serious offence.
"Martin apologised, explained the context for his comments and stated that he did not intend to cause offence, which I accepted. We have agreed to meet soon along with the CST (Community Security Trust, a charity which supports British Jews).
"I have thanked the FA for their apology and I am glad that this has been dealt with swiftly."
