March 6 – Just when English football authorities appeared to have learned from the lessons of the past in terms of embarrassing gaffes, so another one has hit the headlines, this time involving Football Association chief executive Martin Glenn.
Glenn gave a briefing to English newspapers in the wake of last weekend’s decision by football’s lawmakers to implement video assistant referees but also addressed other current talking points, not least Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola wearing a yellow ribbon in support of imprisoned politicians in Catalonia.
In denouncing the ribbon protest and all other political symbols, Glenn inexplicably compared the Jewish Star of David with the Nazi swastika.
“You can’t have – and we don’t want – football equipment to display political symbols. That has always been the case,” Glenn was quoted as saying. “And that could be strong religious symbols, it could be the Star of David, it could be the hammer and sickle, it could be a swastika, anything like Robert Mugabe on your shirt, these are the things we don’t want.”
The Star of David is on Israel’s flag and their national team shirt and Glenn’s comments drew condemnation from the Jewish Leadership Council.
Glenn quickly apologised for the unfortunate terminology saying the Star of David “is a hugely important symbol to Jewish people all over the world.”
Responding to the apology, the JLC chief executive Simon Johnson said he had spoken to Glenn and “explained why his comments caused such serious offence”.
“Martin apologised, explained the context for his comments and stated that he did not intend to cause offence, which I accepted,” said Johnson.
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