Request for meeting and anti-homophobia proposals spurned.
London – 29 September 2006
The Chief Executive of the Football Association, Brian Barwick, is accused of “arrogance, rudeness and inaction against homophobia.”
The accusations come from lesbian and gay human rights group OutRage!
“Brian Barwick has refused to reply to our complaint against Paul Scholes,” said Peter Tatchell of OutRage!
Scholes is accused of shouting homophobic abuse (“fucking poof”) during the Manchester United v Benfica game on 26 September.
“He has tried to fob us off with a perfunctory reply from one of his junior underlings, PA Cath Pert. She did not answer any of the issues I raised,” added Mr Tatchell (see below Ms Pert’s unsatisfactory responses).
“The FA is refusing to investigate our complaint against Paul Scholes, claiming the matter is a UEFA responsibility. This is not true. Paul Scholes plays for Manchester United, which belongs to the FA. Paul and his team are bound by FA regulations wherever they play.
“The FA has declined my request to refer OutRage!’s complaint to UEFA. If the FA was serious about tackling homophobia they would have readily referred the complaint to UEFA, with a request that UEFA investigates the allegations. The FA’s unwillingness to show goodwill by referring our complaint to UEFA is quite disgraceful.
“The FA has ignored my request for a meeting and ignored OutRage!’s practical suggestions on how to effectively tackle homophobia,” said Mr Tatchell.
Below is the thread of emails to and from the FA and OutRage!
At the end of this news release is a copy of OutRage!’s original letter to the Chief Executive of the Football Association, Brian Barwick, regarding the allegations of homophobic abuse by Paul Scholes.
From Cath Pert, PA at the FA:
Dear Peter
If you wish to make a compliant to UEFA you will need to do this directly yourself.
As I said Lucy will be in contact when she returns from her annual leave.
Best wishes,
Cath
Cath Pert | PA to Head of Equality and Child Protection
The Football Association
25 Soho Square | London | W1D 4FA
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From: Peter Tatchell
Sent: 28 September 2006 15:09
To: Cath Pert
Subject: RE: Complaint re Paul Scholes’s alleged homophobic abuse
Thank you Cath,
Could please give me your assurance that Brian Barwick will refer my letter of complaint to UEFA?
I am aware of what the FA has done and find it far from satisfactory, which is why we made some further practical suggestions and proposed a meeting to discus them.
Please advise.
Gratitude! Peter
———————————————————————————-
Message Received: Sep 28 2006, 02:40 PM
From: “Cath Pert”
To: Peter Tatchell
Subject: RE: Complaint re Paul Scholes’s alleged homophobic abuse
Dear Peter
Thank you for email and the attached letter.
The match as you are aware was in a UEFA competition. Therefore UEFA will review the referee’s report and carry out any investigations deemed necessary on the basis of this report and issue any subsequent punishments. It is not a matter for the English Football Association.
We would of course investigate any reported incident of homophobic or any other abuse in the domestic game.
I have put in the post to you today two leaflets The FA has produced on the matter of Homophobia, The FA has also set up a homophobia Working Party to specifically look at this area of The FAs work.
Lucy Faulkner The FAs Equality Manager is now on annual leave until Monday 5th October. When she returns she can give you more detail on what The FA has achieved and is working towards in relation to its work in the area of homophobia.
Best wishes,
Cath
——————————————————————————–
—–Original Message—–
From: Peter Tatchell
Sent: 28 September 2006 10:47
To: Nicki Clarkson
Subject: Complaint re Paul Scholes’s alleged homophobic abuse
Dear Brian Barwick,
Attached is a formal complaint regarding Paul Scholes’s alleged homophobic abuse, with a request for action by the FA, if necessary in concert with UEFA.
This letter also includes proposals for a strengthened FA campaign to challenge and deter homophobic remarks and behaviour.
Please confirm receipt.
Yours with appreciation,
Peter Tatchell
OutRage! London
——————————————————————————-
OutRage! letter to Brian Barwick, CEO of the FA
OutRage! – The Campaign Against Homophobia
Chief Executive
The Football Association
25 Soho Square
London W1D 4FA
27 September 2006
Dear Brian Barwick,
Paul Scholes and the need for a stronger anti-homophobia campaign
I am writing on behalf of the lesbian and gay human rights group OutRage! to lodge a formal complaint against Paul Scholes over his alleged homophobic abuse on 26 September 2006, during the Manchester United v Benfica game.
We respectfully request that the Football Association investigate the allegation and, if found to be true, take appropriate disciplinary action against Mr Scholes – if necessary with or via UEFA.
OutRage! is asking you to put into effect the FA’s commitment to stamp out prejudice, as set out in your campaign, Football For All, which states:
“To help communicate The FA’s ethics and sports equity portfolio we created Football For All. This proudly sits under The FA crest and encompasses our work in areas such as race equality, diversity, faith, social inclusion, homophobia and our opposition to abuse and discrimination.”
This is an excellent commitment, which needs to be actioned in cases of violations.
According to reports we have received, Manchester United mid-field player Paul Scholes shouted homophobic abuse during Tuesday night’s UEFA Champions League match against the Portuguese team Benfica, at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon.
About 10 minutes into the game, 31-year-old Scholes was yellow-carded and appeared to react by shouting “fucking poof” at referee Frank De Bleeckere.
His alleged homophobic abuse was reportedly witnessed by millions of viewers watching ITV1’s live coverage of the match.
If Paul had made a racist remark, UEFA and the Football Association would have initiated immediate disciplinary proceedings. We see no reason for homophobic insults to be treated with any less seriousness. They bring the game into disrepute and violate the commitment of the football authorities to tackle abuse and prejudice.
All bigotry is ugly. It has no legitimate place in any sport. Homophobia is, or should be, no more acceptable than racism. It is quite shocking that the football authorities have, so far, apparently allowed Paul Scholes’s homophobic insult to pass without taking any action.
We accept that the alleged homophobic insult was probably a spontaneous reaction to what may have been an unjustified booking. But would the FA accept racist abuse on the grounds that it was said in the heat-of-the-moment? Of course not. The truth is that spontaneous homophobia is no more excusable than spontaneous racism.
If he is found to have used anti-gay abuse, Paul Scholes should face the same penalties as would be meted out to a player who made similar racist remarks: a fine and match suspension.
The FA should also require Paul to attend a training course on understanding gay people and the damage caused by homophobia.
The football authorities need to send out a clear signal that homophobic attitudes – and all other forms of prejudice – are unacceptable. The failure of the FA and / or UEFA to act would be de facto collusion with anti-gay bigotry.
The bottom line is this: no player, manager, coach, referee or fan should have to endure abuse about their race, faith or sexuality.
We hope the FA agrees and that you will ensure that homophobia is given the red card. This requires a concrete, pro-active set of policies to challenge and deter anti-gay behaviour.
There should be big fines and match suspensions for players, managers, coaches, and referees who abuse others with anti-gay insults. Stewards should be asked to identify fans who shout homophobic abuse. The FA and UEFA should ban them from future matches.
Education against homophobia is, of course, the real, long-term solution.
The FA and UEFA need to get the agreement of all clubs to feature anti-homophobia messages in their match programmes, on the back of tickets, and on billboards inside and outside football grounds.
A public condemnation of homophobia by leading football stars would do a lot to help challenge bigoted attitudes.
We urge the FA to organise top players to sign a joint statement against homophobia and to appear in an anti-homophobia public education video for distribution to schools, youth clubs and football teams.
We would be very grateful if you would agree to a meeting where we can discuss these issues and proposals further. Please advise me of some convenient dates.
Yours sincerely,
Peter Tatchell
OutRage! London