The FA ‘will enforce the Rooney Rule’ in search for a new chairperson after Greg Clarke resigned in disgrace following his car-crash parliamentary appearance… as Baroness Sue Campbell ’emerges as a leading candidate’
- The FA will interview at least one black or ethnic minority candidate after Greg Clarke’s resignation as chairman on Tuesday evening
- Baroness Sue Campbell has reportedly emerged as a contender for the role
- But The FA would have to waive their age limit of 70 in order to appoint her
The Football Association is expected to interview at least one black or ethnic minority candidate in its search for Greg Clarke’s replacement after he resigned as chairman.
Clarke quit on Tuesday night after a car-crash parliamentary appearance where he made a reference to ‘coloured’ footballers among an array of other offensive gaffes.
Now, The Telegraph reports that The FA will adhere to the Rooney Rule in their process of recruitment for Clarke’s replacement. The Rooney Rule means a black or ethnic minority applicant will be interviewed and considered for the post.
Greg Clarke resigned as chairman of The FA after using the term ‘coloured’ footballers
Baroness Sue Campbell has reportedly emerged as a contender to replace Clarke
The publication adds that the organisation will follow their own diversity code, which was released last month and masterminded by Paul Elliott. Elliott is chair of the FA’s inclusion advisory board.
Meanwhile according to The Times, Baroness Sue Campbell has emerged as a leading candidate to replace Clarke.
Campbell was the chair of UK Sport in the run-up to the 2012 Olympic Games in London but at 72 years old, the FA Council would have to waive their age limit of 70.
During Clarke’s appearance in front of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Clarke also made offensive remarks about South Asian and Afro-Caribbean people.
‘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,’ he said.
Clarke also described homosexuality as ‘a life choice’ and spoke disparagingly about the women’s game.
The FA are also expected to follow their own diversity code, which Paul Elliott masterminded
Clarke accepted his comments were ‘unacceptable’ in his resignation statement on Tuesday
On homosexuality in football, Clarke 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.’
And on the women’s game. he said: ‘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.’
In his resignation statement Clarke, 63, admitted that comments were ‘unacceptable’, but claimed to have been considering the FA for some time.
In the short-term he will be replaced by long-serving Board member Peter McCormick as interim Chairman.