July 8 – Former Birmingham Women coach Marcus Bignot has been handed a seven-game touchline ban for homophobic comments. He has also been ordered to attend a face-to-face education course.
Bignot directed homophobic comments towards Tottenham head coach Rehanne Skinner in a Women’s Super League match in February 2022. He was charged by the FA with misconduct but denied wrongdoing.
On Thursday, the FA confirmed an independent regulatory commission had found the charge to be proven following a two-day hearing in May. “Maybe if you had a bit of p**** in you and in your life, then maybe you’d be better for it and at your job,” said Bignot on the touchline, according to the commission, which ruled that it was “not credible” that Bignot was unaware of Skinner’s sexuality.
The commission motivated its decision, stating: “The regulatory commission are not concerned with the question whether Mr Bignot is homophobic, nor does it make any finding of such.”
“He has been found to have made a comment which was obviously homophobic and wholly unacceptable. It is particularly important that homophobic comment, the kind made by Mr Bignot, is punished severely.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1714087190labto1714087190ofdlr1714087190owedi1714087190sni@i1714087190tnuk.1714087190ardni1714087190mas1714087190