Gillingham FC and chairman Paul Scally fined
Gillingham chairman Paul Scally has been fined £75,000 and ordered to attend an education programme, subject to any appeal, after an FA misconduct charge against him was found proven.
Mr Scally was found in breach of FA Rule E3(1) for failing to act in the best interests of the game and bringing the game into disrepute. The full written reasons can be found here.
It followed an Employment Tribunal decision against him and his club which held that an employee, former striker Mark McCammon, had been unfairly dismissed and that the dismissal was an act of race victimisation by Mr Scally and the club.
Gillingham have also been fined £75,000, subject to any appeal, after an FA charge against the club in relation to the same breach was found proven.
The Employment Tribunal in Ashford, Kent, ruled in McCammon’s favour back in July 2012 and he was subsequently awarded £68,000. Gillingham appealed against the decision but the tribunal’s verdict of racial discrimination was upheld by a judge in September 2013.
McCammon claimed Gillingham refused him treatment for an injury, docked his wages and fined him for not turning up to training and that he was treated differently from white players.
In a statement on the Gillingham website, Scally confirmed that he and the club intend to appeal the decision.