Pressure group demands new inquiry into Aluko claims against England boss Sampson
LONDON: Kick It Out, the anti-racism campaign group, has urged the Football Association to conduct “a comprehensive and independent review” into Eniola Aluko’s claims against England manager Mark Sampson.
The striker, 30, has accused Sampson of “bullying and discrimination” but Sampson, 34, has been cleared of wrongdoing by two investigations and vehemently denies Aluko’s claims.
Kick It Out has now said that details given by Aluko in a BBC interview on Monday “throw new light on the allegations.”
The Chelsea forward, who has 102 England caps, has not been picked by Sampson since making allegations against him as part of an FA cultural review into England management.
Thus she missed the European Championship in Holland last month when England fell in the semi-finals to the hosts and eventual winners.
Aluko has claimed she suffered “victimisation as a result of me reporting discrimination”. She then started a grievance procedure, which included allegations of racism against Sampson.
Last year, a three-month independent investigation by barrister Katharine Newton did not uphold any of Aluko’s complaints and cleared Sampson and the FA of any wrongdoing.
Aluko, however, has claimed the independent investigation and a previous FA inquiry were “flawed”. In the BBC interview, she said the FA was aware of another allegation of racism but had never formally investigated the claim.
The player alleges Sampson made a “racist comment” about her family in Nigeria being infected with the ebola virus. Sampson vehemently denies saying this.
The FA said this allegation arose in informal correspondence and was not included in her complaint or it would have been investigated. It denies the inquiry was flawed and says Aluko declined to respond to the Newton investigation.
Kick It out said: “The situation regarding this is now one of utter confusion with claims and counter-claims. Kick It Out urges the FA to undertake a comprehensive and independent review of the processes involved in the original complaint made by Aluko up to the final point of the independent investigation by Katharine Newton QC.
“This is so they can take on board any lessons learned, to remedy any deficiencies identified and to ensure it has an operational culture that treats any individual, whatever their background, equally, fairly and with dignity and respect.
“The FA must ensure a situation like this will never happen again in order to build trust, confidence and credibility.”
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