Racist abuse will become a sackable offence for professional footballers next season, as part of significant changes being made to every English Premier League and Football League player’s contract.
Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), is behind the proposal that he hopes will send out a powerful message on the back of a season when racism on the pitch made an unwelcome return to English football.
Taylor said he believes the change in the standard players’ contract will highlight how seriously the PFA views racism, and remove any ambiguity about the possible consequences for anyone found guilty of the offence. Racist abuse will now be deemed as gross misconduct and, although the decision of whether to terminate a contract will ultimately rest with the player’s employers, Taylor pointed out that any club failing to act “could be held responsible for condoning [racism]”.
The PFA will present the proposal to the Professional Football Negotiating and Consultative Committee (PFNCC) and Taylor is confident that it will be approved. “We’re just about to bring it to the PFNCC, the body by which we bring the issues to the Premier League and Football League, and I don’t see a problem,” he said.
Guardian Service
