FA charges Gillingham FC and Paul Scally over race victimisation

Friday 24 Oct 2014
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The Football Association (FA) has charged Gillingham FC and the club’s Chairman Paul Scally with bringing the game into disrepute by committing an act of race victimisation by dismissing former player Mark McCammon in 2011.

They have released the following statement: “The FA has issued charges in relation to the dismissal of former employee Mark McCammon from Gillingham Football Club in 2011. Gillingham FC has been charged, along with its Chairman Paul Scally, with a breach of FA Rule E3.

“In both instances it is alleged that they failed to act in the best interests of the game, and/or brought the game into disrepute by committing an act of race victimisation by dismissing Mark McCammon. Both Gillingham FC and Mr Scally have until 14 November 2014 to respond.”

An employment tribunal ruled in July 2012 that McCammon’s dismissal was unfair racial victimisation and he was later awarded more than £68,000. The striker said the club had tried to “frustrate him out” by refusing to pay private medical bills to help him regain his fitness following injury when he still had eight months left on his contract.

He said he was instead offered the choice of undergoing the same operation on the NHS rather than privately, which was “completely out of character” for a Football League club. He also claimed he and two other black players were ordered to come into the ground amid “treacherous” conditions otherwise their wages would be docked, while some white players were told they were not required.

The tribunal heard this resulted in a confrontation with manager Andy Hessenthaler, whom Mr McCammon claimed lost his temper with him after he had accused him of being “racially intolerant” over the decision to order them in. Mr McCammon was subsequently ordered to attend a disciplinary hearing and later received a letter saying he had been dismissed for aggressive conduct towards the manager and racism.

Following the outcome of the employment tribunal, Lord Herman Ouseley, Chair of Kick It Out, had said it was a “landmark ruling” and that “it will inevitably have implications for all clubs about the way they treat people and do not discriminate against them on the grounds of race, colour, ethnicity or anything else.”

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