Clarke steps down as FA chairman after series of 'unacceptable' remarks

Greg Clarke resigned from his position as chairman of the Football Association after making a series of inappropriate comments about race and sexuality during a discussion with members of Parliament on Tuesday.

"My unacceptable words in front of Parliament were a disservice to our game and to those who watch, play, referee, and administer it. This has crystallised my resolve to move on," Clarke said.

"I am deeply saddened that I have offended those diverse communities in football that I and others worked so hard to include.

"I would like to thank my friends and colleagues in the game for the wisdom and counsel they have shared over the years and resign from the FA with immediate effect."

Clarke used the term "colored footballers" when questioned about inclusion and diversity at the grassroots level during a video call with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport select committee.

A statement from the FA read: "We can confirm that Greg Clarke has stepped down from the role as FA Chairman.

"Peter McCormick will step into the role as interim FA Chairman with immediate effect and the FA Board will begin the process of identifying and appointing a new Chair in due course.

"We would also like to reaffirm that as an organisation, we are absolutely committed to doing everything we can to promote diversity, address inequality, and tackle all forms of discrimination in the game."

Clarke, who was named chairman of the FA in 2017, made a series of other inappropriate remarks during his video call, including his explanation for a shortage of South Asian players.

"If you go to the IT department of the FA, there's a lot more South Asians than there are Afro-Caribbeans," Clark said. "They have different career interests."

He also claimed homosexuality is "a life choice" when asked about the lack of openly gay footballers in England.

Sanjay Bhandari, executive chair at Kick It Out, said Clarke's statements were "completely unacceptable."

"I was particularly concerned by the use of lazy racist stereotypes about South Asians and their supposed career preferences. It reflects similar lazy stereotypes I have heard have been spouted at club academy level," he said.

"Being gay is not a 'life choice' as he claimed, too. The casual sexism of saying 'girls' do not like balls hit at them hard is staggering from anyone, let alone the leader of our national game. It is completely unacceptable."