Date: April 19, 2023 Location: Crawley, England Reporter: [Al Bengazi]
Crawley, England – The Football Association (FA) has successfully appealed the 17-month suspension given by an independent commission to former Crawley Town manager, John Yems, for using racist language[20]. The ban has now been extended to three years, marking a significant development in the case.
Background Information:
John Yems was initially suspended by Crawley Town on April 23, following “serious and credible” accusations from the squad, leading to an FA investigation[14]. The FA charged Yems with 16 alleged breaches of FA Rule E3.2 during the period between 2019 and 2022 while he was the manager of Crawley Town[17]. The independent panel’s report found Yems guilty of 11 charges relating to racist abuse between 2019 and 2022, with Yems admitting one charge[20].
Controversy arose when the FA initially concluded that Yems was “not a conscious racist” despite outlining a string of offensive racial remarks[22]. Yems was originally handed an 18-month ban, the longest suspension ever imposed for discriminatory language[28]. However, this decision was met with criticism, leading to the FA’s appeal and the subsequent extension of the ban to three years.
Yems has claimed that he has been harshly treated and that he is owed an apology, asserting that the ban is unjust[19]. Crawley Town is also facing further questions over their treatment of Yems after claims that the FA told them not to report allegations of racist behavior to the police, which the FA has contradicted[25].
With the extension of Yems’ ban to three years, the case highlights the ongoing struggle against racism in football and the importance of taking decisive action to create a more inclusive environment within the sport.