UEFA has today undermined its own credibility as an organisation committed to wiping out sectarianism and bigotry in the game, and especially in Scotland, with its decision to appoint Paul Gascoigne as an official ambassador for Euro 2020.
This website was one of dozens which attacked the SFA in the strongest possible terms when they were set to “honour” Gascoigne with a place in the Hampden Hall Of Fame.
Not even they could stomach it in the end.
Not even they could handle the outpouring of anger from across Scotland against this idea.
It was especially bad considering that it was to be the first year in which women would be honoured at the annual event.
I am reliably informed that some of them were set to snub the event if it meant sharing a stage with the arch-bigot and notorious wife beater.
UEFA has won plaudits in Scotland for the way they’ve tackled the issues at Ibrox, yet this is a guy who mock played the flute not once by twice during what was the most volatile fixture on the planet.
His record since leaving football behind is scarcely better; there are numerous examples of his sectarian outlook and worse; he’s a casual racist as well.
At the time of writing this he is facing a sexual assault charge – his trial will begin after 15 October – for an incident which took place on a train in August 2018.
Quite how UEFA can justify making him an ambassador with that still up in the air I could not tell you … but it is scandalous and one would hope that women’s organisations are outraged by it.
Football has become a diverse sport, and women have a higher profile role in the game than they ever have before.
This decision is an insult to them.
The game is still stalked by issues like sectarianism and racism and people have struggled manfully to get those elements under control.
This decision is an insult to them.
Frankly, it brings UEFA into disrepute.
This man cannot be one of the public faces of an organisation which seeks to distance itself from so much of what he has come to represent.
His wouldn’t be a fit ambassador for any organisation save perhaps for one run by Donald Trump.
This is a disgrace.
It shows how out of touch all footballs senior administrators are.
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