Controversy seems to follow interim Stevenage boss Mark Sampson wherever he goes. The former England Women’s manager has been charged by the FA with using racist language.
It’s claimed that the 37-year-old used racist language during discussions over possible transfer targets with his current side. Allegedly, the name of a defender was mentioned as a possible signing, with Sampson supposedly responding that the club should not recruit him based on the fact he was Nigerian.
There has since been an internal investigation in which he was cleared of wrongdoing by his club, but the FA are now involved and have charged the former head of Swansea’s Centre of Excellence.
An FA statement read: “It is alleged that a comment made by the Stevenage FC caretaker manager breached FA Rule E3(1) as it was improper and/or abusive and/or insulting. It is further alleged that the comment also constitutes an ‘aggravated breach’, which is defined in FA Rule E3(2), as it referenced ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race and/or nationality. He has until 6 December 2019 to provide a response to the charge.”
It won’t be the first time such allegations have been made about Sampson. Former England striker Eni Aluko claimed he told her to make sure her Nigerian relatives did not bring the Ebola virus to London ahead of an England friendly. Aluko’s team-mate Drew Spence also complained about him, claiming she was asked if she had been arrested before, going on to suggest she had been arrested four times.
Sampson was eventually sacked as England manager after evidence of an inappropriate relationship between him and a player emerged, dating back to his time as manager of Bristol Academy.
Our View Special
We must be very careful here to ensure that the man gets a fair trial. Already, as you’ll see below, social media is awash with posts assuming his guilt based on his former actions. In a court of law, assuming a person’s guilt based on their previous convictions is very dangerous and whilst the FA won’t do such a thing during any hearing, the modern era allows supporters to have their opinions taken as fact.
We’re not defending Sampson, not at all. His behaviour during his time as England coach was utterly shameful and even his inappropriate relationship with a player hints at the attitude he has towards rule and regulations. However, ‘hints at’ is very different from established fact and in this instance, there has to be a period where he is not assumed guilty until the decision is made.
Racism is a very emotive subject and rightly so; events in Bulgaria and across domestic football have rightly highlighted the cancer within our game, on the terraces and ingrained in some attitudes. We must, without a doubt, do everything we can to eradicate it from our game and from our society.
However, as a fair and just society, we must also be aware that one man should not be held as a sacrifice for our organisations to make a statement with. FIFA didn’t make an example of Bulgarian supporters and sent a very clear message with the ‘three-step’ policy and charges against England as well.
I’d like to think our FA, and indeed our society, is better than that and as such Mark Sampson should not be assumed guilty until proven innocent. The FA must tread very carefully indeed around this important subject to ensure they make a fair decision based on the facts and not the current climate in world football. However, they must also ensure if there is a case to answer, then it is answered. A ‘guilty’ finding here raises very important questions about the FA. If he is guilty, again, then how was he able to work in football after the previous incidents?
This story might just be the explosive end to 2019 the FA had hoped would never happen; after making such a statement about their treatment in Bulgaria they might just be about to find out that their own house is not at all in order either.
https://twitter.com/Maryam_Ochepa/status/1197133128013365254
https://twitter.com/DanielHarris/status/1197132403103408128
https://twitter.com/SVRPepe/status/1197132366684282883
https://twitter.com/Tom_Hancock_/status/1197132092460670977
https://twitter.com/LawGWilliams/status/1197131670249447424
