John Cummings removed by Northumberland FA
Northumberland County Football Association has removed John Cummings as its vice-president and terminated its association with the 77-year-old.
In October, Cummings was suspended for four months after telling a female referee “a woman’s place is in the kitchen and not on the football field”.
Cummings later had his appeal dismissed and was ordered to pay £1,500 costs.
A Northumberland FA statement read: “The NFA prides itself on being a fair, democratic and ethical organisation.”
Northumberland FA’s board and council added that the decision to revisit the case was a “necessary, proportionate and correct response to concerns raised both within the NFA, our member organisations and the general public.
“Our unstinting work in promoting and nurturing women’s football, as well as our commitment to wider issues of ethics and equality, has won the NFA much praise and we are determined to protect that reputation.”
Cummings made the comments to referee development officer May at a referee workshop event in March.
The 24-year-old asked Cummings about the possibility of officiating in the North East Sunday League and was told she “wouldn’t be able to handle it”.
An independent FA regulatory commission, led by solicitor and former Blackburn Rovers player Stuart Ripley, concluded Cummings was guilty of a breach of FA rules relating to “abusive and/or insulting language”, aggravated because of a specific reference to gender.
From BBC Sport
