The Football Association has opened an independent investigation into the conduct of David Elleray, one of the most powerful officials in world football.
The investigation, to be carried out by a law firm commissioned by the FA, will look at new allegations made against Elleray.
The 67-year-old, a former leading Premier League referee, is chair of the FA referees’ committee and seen as a gatekeeper of English referees. As technical director at the International Football Association Board, he also holds a prominent position within the organisation which determines football’s rules.
i first revealed a fortnight ago that a whistleblower, who wanted to remain anonymous, had come forward to the FA calling for an independent investigation to be undertaken into Elleray’s behaviour and claiming that a 2014 FA investigation into a racism complaint amounted to a cover-up. The FA strongly denies claims of a cover-up.
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FA chief executive Mark Bullingham is understood to have responded to Cassidy explaining that in light of the issues raised, the governing body has commissioned a law firm to carry out an independent investigation. It will begin in January.
At a referees conference at St George’s Park in 2014, Elleray said to a black former FA employee: “You look rather tanned” and “have you been down a coal mine?”.
The FA said at the time it did not receive a complaint but investigated it when allegations emerged in the press and found Elleray was in breach of the FA Council Code of Conduct. Elleray apologised, was made to take an equality and diversity training course and reminded of the code.
However, it has emerged that a member of FA staff who witnessed the comments made attempts to complain about the incident at the time and claims that it went no further. While the fresh independent investigation will not re-examine the case, if new facts about the incident emerge it will form part of the wider investigation.
As revealed by i last week, the FA has already reached out to the former black employee to whom Elleray made the comments to ascertain his view on the incident.
In 2014, Elleray was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to football.
The 67-year-old also spent 13 years as President of the Referees’ Association, a role he retired from in 2017.
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Attempts were made to contact Elleray via the FA and Ifab but he did not respond. The FA declined to comment.
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