Friday 21 November 2014 09:43, UK
The Jewish Leadership Council has called for Wigan chairman Dave Whelan to withdraw comments they feel are anti-Semitic.
Whelan has apologised for the comments, made in an interview with the Guardian about the Latics’ decision to appoint Malky Mackay as manager despite the Scotsman being the subject of an ongoing FA investigation into offensive text messages.
One of those messages referred to Jewish football agent Phil Smith and appeared to imply that a Jewish person would be more concerned at losing money than non-Jews.
In his Guardian interview, Whelan said: “I think Jewish people do chase money more than everybody else. I don't think that's offensive at all.”
He has since apologised for the comment but Simon Johnson, a former FA and Premier League executive and current chief executive of the Jewish Leadership Council, believes the Wigan chairman should go further and withdraw it.
“It’s not for me to say what was in his mind when he made those comments but he made them and they were offensive.
“He referred to a very old and very offensive, tawdry racist stereotype that people who have been anti-Semitic over the centuries have used as a form of insult against Jewish people.
“He should not have said it. When someone in such a senior position in the game of football and who is respected in the game of football, makes comments that others have used and been interpreted as anti-Semitism then it does cause great offence.
“And so, while Mr Whelan has acknowledged the offence he has caused, he needs to withdraw the comments.”
The anti-racism campaign group Kick It Out also condemned the comments and called for Whelan to be investigated by the FA.
"The remarks act as another example of the culture which continues to exist within football, and further proves that some in positions of power seem comfortable sharing those views either privately or publicly,” he said.
“These comments must not go unchallenged and have to be investigated by the FA."
