Football chief issues fresh apology after comparing Star of David to swastika
Martin Glenn says sorry for causing offence, while saying clubs can wear Jewish symbol on their shirt
The Chief Executive of the Football Association has issued a fresh apology and reassured Jewish football clubs that they will be allowed to have the Star of David on their shirts, following talks with community leaders.
The meeting was convened following Martin Glenn’s comments last week in which he compared the Star of David with the Swastika and other symbols.
Speaking after the meeting, which he held with Funke Awoderu, Senior Inclusion and Diversity Manager at the FA; Simon Johnson of the Jewish Leadership Council; and Dave Rich of the Community Security Trust, Glenn said: “I want to take this opportunity to apologise again for the offence caused when I referenced political and religious symbols in football, specifically when I mentioned the Star of David.
“I would like to make it clear to all of our clubs with Jewish players, coaches, officials and volunteers that the Laws of the Game, which are set out by the International Football Association Board [IFAB], do permit the use of the Star of David if it is used on the crest of the shirt.
“As an organisation more broadly, we actively promote faith inclusion through football. We have developed a series of resources to support the game, such as an annual Faith in Football Calendar, providing guidance to grassroots football on fixtures and respecting Jewish religious observance.
“We also produce a practical guide to spirituality, faith and football which we share with County FAs, faith communities, grassroots and professional club. In addition we have long standing and important relationships with the Community Security Trust which supports our disciplinary and education work with participants in the game – the ‘Quenelle’ case involving Nicolas Anelka in 2013 is a great example of this – as well as Maccabi GB, the Jewish community’s primary sports body which continues to continue to offer guidance and support around Jewish matters related to faith.”
Rich, Head of Policy and Deputy Director of Communications at the CST said: “We contacted the FA as soon as his comments became publicly known and we welcomed the opportunity to discuss this issue with Martin in person today. We used the meeting to explain why his comments caused particular offence to the Jewish community, as part of a broader discussion about the problem of antisemitism in sport and in wider society. We emphasised the need to ensure that this incident does not overshadow the FA’s efforts to encourage people of all faith backgrounds to take part in football, and we agreed to continue to work together to promote inclusion and combat discrimination in the game.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
