Premier League chief keeps job after club vote
EMBATTLED Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has vowed to convince his critics he is not sexist after top-flight clubs unanimously spared him the sack yesterday.
Representatives of all 17 teams voted not to bring disciplinary action against Scudamore despite mounting pressure following the publication of emails sent from his work account.
David Cameron has earlier entered the row when a spokesperson for the Prime Minister confirmed he backed sports minister Helen Grant’s description of Scudamore’s messages as “unacceptable”.
But the clubs, while agreeing that Scudamore’s remarks “should have no place in the Premier League’s working environment”, said examination of other emails and documents indicated “no evidence of wider discriminatory attitudes or inappropriate language or a general attitude of disrespect towards women”.
Many female employees of the league vouched for Scudamore and said his “conduct and behaviour” were “beyond reproach”, acting chairman Peter McCormick added in a statement.
Scudamore said the email exchanges with a lawyer were “wrong” and his apology “sincere, as is the contrition I feel”.
He added that he would now meet “a wide range of stakeholders” to “reassure them” of his support for inclusion and women’s involvement in football.
West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady said Scudamore, 54, was “categorically not sexist”, but Lord Ouseley, the chair of equality campaigners Kick It Out, criticised the Premier League’s investigation, calling it “a flawed process” and added: “There was only ever going to be one outcome.”