Chairman Greg Clarke admits FA has 'lost the trust of the public'
Thursday 26 October 2017 16:42, UK
FA chairman Greg Clarke has admitted the governing body has "lost the trust of the public" and has to address the fundamental climate of the FA after the Eni Aluko case.
Speaking to the FA Council, Clarke said last week's appearance before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee as "a bruising personal experience" and "the culmination of a very damaging episode for the organisation".
Clarke, along with FA chief executive Martin Glenn, technical director Dan Ashworth and HR boss Rachel Brace, appeared in front of the DCMS to explain how they handled discrimination claims made by Aluko against former England women's manager Mark Sampson.
An independent barrister ruled Sampson made unacceptable remarks to Aluko and fellow England international Drew Spence and PFA Chief Executive Gordon Taylor, who was also at the meeting at Wembley today, confirmed Aluko has received a second and final settlement payment from the FA.
Clarke addressed the council on Thursday, admitting his organisation had breached its duty of care to the players and had failed Aluko, Spence and Lianne Sanderson.
He said: "Since last Wednesday, a storm has blown through us and we have struggled to cope. The committee hearing has stripped us of our veneer and exposed some deeper fundamental truths. We have lost the trust of the public."
"We do need that trust - it is the bedrock of everything we should be about.
Clarke also said the will have a "full cultural review" of the FA and the organisation needs to be become more inclusive and representative as well "embracing the knowledge of senior players and managers".
He highlighted a meeting he attended in Sheffield last week where there was only one woman and no one from a black, Asian or minority ethnic background.
He added: "As I reflected on the meeting, and on the lessons of the Aluko case, it was clear to me that our good intentions alone are no longer enough.
"We had a number of black players within our senior England women's team who did not trust us enough to share their experiences of discriminatory behaviour.
"All they could see was a white hierarchy who had no experience of what it feels like to be a black person on the receiving end of inappropriate comments."
Lord Herman Ouseley, Chair of Kick it Out, also welcomed the apology by Greg Clarke at today's meeting.
He said: "Across the rest of the game, it is clear that black and minority ethnic people are not trusted to be in the boardroom, senior management, leadership, coaching, technical and administration positions - and this is not a new realisation.
"It will not be easy to rebuild trust and confidence after last week's shenanigans. It is inconceivable that the people who botched the first investigation are still in their posts."
