FIFA: VP Clarke has to decide on quitting over controversy

FIFA said it was right for Greg Clarke to resign as English Football Association chairman over discriminatory comments and should decide whether he will also resign as a vice president of the world governing body.

Clarke was forced out of the FA on Tuesday within hours of making heavily criticized remarks on race, sexuality and gender during a British parliamentary hearing.

“FIFA’s zero tolerance position on discrimination remains steadfast and clear: any form of discrimination, including racism, sexism and homophobia, has no place in football,” FIFA said in a statement on Wednesday. “In the circumstances and given the nature of his comments, FIFA considers that Mr. Clarke did the right thing to resign as chairman of the FA yesterday.”

But Clarke remains a vice president of FIFA with a term running through 2023. Clarke was elected by the congress of European governing body UEFA, so FIFA would appear unable to remove Clarke from its ruling council without opening an ethics case.

“He is, of course, free to resign from the FIFA Council, just as he has resigned as chairman of the FA,” FIFA said. “It is for Mr. Clarke to take that decision.”

England manager Gareth Southgate said Clarke was right to leave the FA over his “unacceptable” testimony to the House of Commons committee overseeing sports.

“The upset internally was massive,” Southgate said.

Image credits: AP