The Football Association must decide on Friday if it wants to appeal the eight-week ban and fine given to Millwall’s head of youth recruitment for a breach of social media activity rules, in relation to an anti-Islam post.
Barry Dunne has admitted a serious breach of FA regulations in relation to his social media post from another account which he retweeted on 15 March. Dan was also fined £525, ordered to attend a compulsory face-to-face educational program and received a reprimand and warning about his future behaviour.
The penalties were handed down by an independent regulatory commission, with a seven-day deadline to appeal on Friday. The FA has been contacted for comment.
The FA successfully appealed against the Independent Regulatory Commission’s decision in January to hand John Yems a 17-month ban from football-related activity after the former Crawley Town manager admitted one offense and was found guilty of a further 11 out of 16 counts. For breach of FIFA Rule E3.2.
The FA appealed on the grounds that the penalty was insufficient and that the committee had reached a decision that no reasonable body could have. The appeal was upheld and Yems was subsequently banned for three years.
The FA had committed 16 breaches of FA Rule E3.2 against Yeams for comments that “included a reference to the ethnic origin, colour, race, nationality, religion or belief and/or sex” of the Crawley players. Between 2019 and 2022 during his tenure as technical director.
Figures released by Kick It Out in July showed a 300% increase in reports of an Islamophobic nature.
Dan, Millwall’s head of youth recruiting, was suspended by the club on May 15 this year, one month before he was charged.
At Millwall, Dan, now 71, is responsible for identifying and recruiting young players in the club’s age groups.
Millwall for a private investigation
Statement from Millwall Football Club to Sky Sports News Read: “The Club notes that the Organizing Committee has decided to find one of its employees guilty of breaching Rule 3.1 of the FA Code. As it is company policy, the Club will now conduct its own disciplinary process in line with the HR Regulations.
“Millwall operates a zero-tolerance policy against discrimination of all kinds and continues to work tirelessly alongside all stakeholders to assist in industry-wide efforts to rid sport and society of any prejudice.”
One week before Dan’s participation, Millwall signed the Muslim Sportsmen’s Charter, an initiative by Stars Sports, to help sports organizations build environments and cultures that effectively support players who profess this faith.
Speaking at the time, Steve Kavanagh, chief executive of Millwall, said: “As a club, we strive to create an environment where players and staff can reach the fullest extent of their abilities and talents, and this will help Muslims do exactly that.”
Nojoom Sports has been contacted before Sky Sports News to comment.
“Football needs to wake up”
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Yunus Lunat, the first Muslim member in the history of the FA Council, says that football should be aware of the scourge of Islamophobia in English football.
said Yunus Lonat, the first Muslim member in the history of the FA Council Sky Sports News The Football Association will need to decide whether or not to choose to appeal against the ban issued to Dunn.
“Football really needs to wake up,” said Lunat, former chair of the FA’s Race and Equality Committee and Advisory Board. Sky Sports News.
“To be fair, the FA has acted. When complaints are brought to the attention of the FA, it will investigate and deal with it according to its processes, and it has dealt with it according to its processes.”
“Now I would like to ask if maybe the eight-week ban is lenient or not. You can compare with John Yems, is that something worth appealing to the FA? That’s something for the FA to determine.”
“But it is especially instructive to keep in mind the important and influential role this man played as gatekeeper.
“So maybe the FA should consider whether or not they should appeal this penalty. But in terms of what football needs to do going forward, I go back to what I said in 2019 – they need to lose their blind spot.” When it comes to Islamophobia.”
“Society is watching”
Former Eastern Eye Sports Editor Zohaib Rasheed, CEO of FARE Network Piara Poire, Lion Man Football Blacklist Co-Founder and Sky Sports News (LR) Dave Trehan
Former Eastern Eye sports editor Zohaib Rasheed questioned the severity of Dunne’s punishment.
“In 2023 we will have a number of cases of Islamophobia in football – and these are the only cases that we know of that have been reported.
“At the moment the penalty in the latter case amounts to just over a few hundred pounds fine and a few weeks’ gardening leave. Is this the limit set for future incidents?
“The community is watching and will watch with great interest what the football family does from this moment on,” he added.
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