Kick It Out: Whelan comments should be investigated

Anti-racism group Kick It Out believe Wigan owner Dave Whelan's comments about Jewish and Chinese people should be investigated.

Whelan, 77, was asked to give his views on Malky Mackay's text message exchanges with Iain Moody.

During the interview with the Guardian, he said: “I think Jewish people do chase money more than everybody else. I don’t think that’s offensive at all.”

A Kick It Out statement read: “The Football Association has outlined in a statement that ‘no assurances have been given on the outcome of the case’ yet Wigan Athletic owner Dave Whelan continues to suggest elsewhere that two ‘influential’ people have informed him that ‘nothing will come’ from the investigation.

“This comes shortly after the Guardian published comments from Whelan that ‘Jewish people chase money more than everybody else’ and that the word ‘chink’ is not offensive. He has brought into question whether he is a fit and proper person who should be running a professional football club.

“The remarks act as another example of the culture which continues to exist within football, and further proves that some in positions of power seem comfortable sharing those views either privately or publicly. These comments must not go unchallenged and have to be investigated by The FA.

“The FA also needs to get to the bottom of Whelan’s insistence that he has been in contact with ‘influential’ figures within its own organisation about the Malky Mackay and Iain Moody case. They must ascertain whether his claims have any substance by conducting an investigation into this too.”