David Bernstein, David Davies, Greg Dyke, Alex Horne and David Triesman are all former Football Association executives. Now, they are using their own intimate knowledge of the worldwide leviathan, that is the FA, to claim that its current leadership is not fit for purpose.
The FA is being held back by "elderly white men" say David Bernstein (73), David Davies (68), Greg Dyke (69) and David Triesman (73).
— HaveIGotNewsForYou (@haveigotnews) 12 December 2016
They are calling for the extraordinary step of having MPs come in and propose enforced changes to the body. The former executives say that previous hopes for the FA to "self-reform" have turned to dust. In an open letter, the five asked Parliament's Culture, Media and Sport committee to propose new legislation to "reform and modernize" the FA.
A letter from our Chairman, Greg Clarke, to the FA Council: https://t.co/RNqRh6PPvi
— The FA (@FA) December 12, 2016
Responding to the letter, committee chairman Damian Collins MP has said "time has run out" for the FA.The letter also said the FA lacks independence and makes decisions based on vested interests, because of a lack of checks and balances.
Indeed, the FA has been under a great deal of scrutiny over the last few years, much f it extremely unflattering. Allegations of FA officials taking bribes, tax dodging, racketeering and personal corruption have long stalked the organization. And as of November 2016, the FA has been beset by numerous allegations of historical child abuse. According to police, 83 potential suspects have been identified from 98 clubs across the UK. Several victims have accused the FA of being aware of some of the abusers, while not acting to stop them.
No-one brought up problem of abuse in football when I was heading Blair's football taskforce — I wish they had: David Mellor tells @krishgm
— shaminder nahal (@shamindernahal) 2 December 2016
FA has said it will conduct an internal review to determine whether it could and should have done more. However, FA chairman Greg Clarke acknowledges that the latest football crisis is the biggest to hit the FA that he can remember.
One of the key points made by the five former FA executives are that the FA Board is neither an independent board, nor an independent regulator. If the FA's own investigation finds that their were deliberate attempts to cover up the abuse of children by football coaches and officials, the public outcry could put heavy pressure on British politicians to bring in a system of independent FA scrutiny.
Chelsea paid me £50,000 to prevent child abuse revelations — Johnson: The Blues have been accused of paying off a… https://t.co/QZx0eBdXzo
— Football-News (@Bot_Football) 2 December 2016
In a statement, the FA said it was currently working on governance reforms to adhere to Sport England and UK Sport's Governance Code for Sport "as a means of ensuring that sports organizations in receipt of public money are operating in an effective and transparent manner that best supports their sports."
