By Andrew Warshaw
February 25 – Paul Elliott, one of European football’s most visible and vocal anti-racism campaigners, has been forced to resign after a discriminatory text message he sent to a former business colleague was made public.
Elliott had been a member of the Football Association’s judicial panel and a nominated member of the relevant UEFA committees as well as being a frequent voice during England’s doomed 2018 World Cup bid campaign.
Most significant of all, perhaps, the 48-year-old ex-Chelsea and Celtic defender has been forced to quit his position with the anti-discrimination body, Kick It Out.
The Sun newspaper had alleged Elliott, highly respected in footballing circles and widely regarded as a rising star in the European anti-racism movement, had sent an angry text message dispute over a business venture with former Charlton player Richard Rufus.
The report was the latest in a series of embarrassing blows for the FA. Earlier this month, Elliott became the first black footballer to collect a CBE, awarded for services to equality and diversity in football.
In a statement released through Kick It Out, Elliott, who has mixed with some of the most high profile names in world football in the global effort to eradicate racism, confirmed that last week “a former friend and business colleague made public an SMS text message I sent him, in which I used a term which is widely known as being derogatory to my own community.
“I regret using it; it is inappropriate and not part of my everyday vocabulary. As an advocate of high standards of public behaviour, and integrity in public life, I know the use of this word sends out mixed messages and contradicts my position as a Kick It Out trustee. I will continue to be active in other projects in what I believe to be a true and just cause.”
Elliott had been a Kick It Out trustee since 1996, two years after he was forced to end his career through injury. David Bernstein, who has got used to fire fighting in his capacity as FA chairman, admitted Elliott’s position had become “untenable” but paid tribute to his work. “I am saddened by this turn of events. However, the use of discriminatory language is unacceptable regardless of its context and in effect made Paul’s position untenable.”
Leading anti-racism campaigner Piara Power insisted that Elliott’s offensive text was not of a racist nature. Former Kick It Out director Powar, currently executive director of Football Against Racism in Europe, admitted Elliott was left with little option but to step down but said the term used was not done so in a racist context.
Power said: “I can understand the concern over the use of the n-word, whoever uses it, in whichever context. However, I cannot accept that it is racist to use it between two friends and business colleagues in a private text, when both are black, from almost identical ethnic and social backgrounds, and there has been no allegation of racism.
“Racism and other forms of discrimination are not simply about words. It may be difficult for some to accept the difference between those words used with discriminatory intent and those that are not. I know Paul very well and I know the skills that he has, the understanding of the game that he has and its politics, and I have no doubt that Paul will be back and fighting.
“In the end, what Paul does is seek to represent those who are disenfranchised in society and perhaps in football as well. I think he’ll continue to seek to represent those groups and, in time, his skills will bring him to the fore again.”
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