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Grim details emerge of released Cardiff player’s racist slurs which had teammates shocked

Grim details emerge of a released Cardiff player’s racist slurs which had fellow teammates shocked at what they had just heard.

Jack Simpson admitted to racially abusing a Cardiff team-mate during a pre-season tour in Portugal back in July 2023, with the the 26 year old defender being let go by the Championship side in August despite having a year remaining on his contract.

The Football Association have this week handed Simpson a six-game ban and £8,000 fine, and now further information regarding what happened has surfaced, so a warning in advanced.

Simpson was punishment for calling then Cardiff team-mate Rohan Luthra a “dirty P**i” during the pre-season tour of Portugal in July.

According to WalesOnline, supporting documents in the case saw team-mates Rubin Colwill and Keiron Evans about when the comment was made and couldn’t believe what happened, telling Simpson “you can’t say that”.

The team were allowed to have “a few drinks” after their friendly with Porto, so went to the town of Villamoura, but it turns out a few ended up being “high levels of alcohol” consumed, with Simpson getting back to his room at around 3am and 4am then made it for breakfast between 6am and 6:30am.

Cardiff keeper, Luthra, 21, went to the table Simpson, Evans and Colwill was on, with the Simpson saying to him: “Oh yeah, and you, you’re a dirty P**i.”, a comment said to have been “inexplicable” with their being no reports of any kind of bust up of trouble between the two before or during the tour.

Luthra is. then said to have responded by getting up and leaving. He chose no to speak with Simpson, while also telling him he was a racist.

The report goes on to state: “The team headed to the airport shortly after. KE (Evans) reported that when at the airport he was stood behind JS (Simpson) in a queue at a coffee shop and they spoke about the incident. JS said words to the effect of, ‘I’m so stupid. I don’t know why I said that. My girlfriend is from that country as well’. According to KE, JS was clearly disappointed with himself and said he was going to speak with RL and apologise.”

It was only when an FA presentation told players to get in touch if they heard any discrimination, so he did regarding Simpson, telling officials at his club and they soon acted on it with Simpson’s stay at the club terminated “by mutual consent” on the 31st of August.

Simpson claims that he couldn’t remember making such a comment due to claimed he could not remember making the comment due to alcohol intoxication, though report says, he did admitted the charge made a number of apologies to Luthra, who these days is out on loan with National League South outfit Slough Town.

A statement issued by the Football Association reads: “An independent Regulatory Commission has imposed a six-match suspension, £8,000 fine and face-to-face education upon Jack Simpson for misconduct on Cardiff City’s pre-season tour to Portugal in July 2023.

“It was alleged the defender used language towards a team-mate that was abusive and/or insulting and/or improper contrary to FA Rule E3.1. It was further alleged that that this language constitutes an ‘aggravated breach’, which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference – whether express or implied – to race and/or colour.

“Jack Simpson admitted the charge against him, and his sanctions were imposed following a hearing.”

The defender, who remains a free agent, had joined the Bluebirds from Rangers in 2022, but began his playing career at AFC Bournemouth.

Speaking via Sky Sports News, Kick It Out CEO Tony Burnett said: “Kick It Out acknowledge the charge handed to Jack Simpson. There’s no space for racist abuse between teammates, or anywhere in the game, and it is reassuring to see the individual responsible being held to account for his actions.

“Our first thought when discrimination occurs is always with the victim, and we applaud the courage of the victim in this case for coming forward.

“In this situation, as in all incidents of discriminatory abuse, there can be no winners and we hope that the perpetrator has learnt from this incident to ensure it is never repeated. Education plays an essential role in shifting attitudes and it is encouraging to see The FA include one to one education as part of the sanction. We know from our own work in this space the impact that this can have in changing mindsets.

“We would encourage anyone who experiences or witnesses abuse to report it to us at Kick It Out.”

EFL STATEMENT ON RACISM CRACKDOWN

English football stands united in its determination to tackle racism and remove all forms of discrimination from our game. Throughout October and beyond, The FA, Premier League, English Football League and Kick it Out will reinforce the message that hate and discrimination will not be tolerated at any level of football and action will be taken against perpetrators.

Alongside PGMOL, Professional Footballers’ Association, League Managers Association and the Football Supporters’ Association, the football organisations are urging fans and participants to report discrimination wherever they see it or hear it, to help make football a safer place for everyone.

All organisations are actively working with clubs and authorities, and remain committed to collaborating further with each other, to ensure those who are found guilty of racist or discriminatory behaviour face strong consequences for their actions.

Sanctions include stadium bans, legal prosecutions and custodial sentences for those found guilty of discriminatory behaviour in either the stadium or online, with additional potential points deductions for clubs within the grassroots game. Education and restorative justice initiatives will also be implemented where appropriate.

This builds on the ongoing work to address unacceptable, discriminatory and illegal behaviour across the game, under the football-wide Love Football. Protect the Game initiative, which aims to ensure that the actions of the minority do not spoil the game for all.

In recent years, football authorities have worked as a group to combat online abuse, and most recently we have lobbied the UK Government extensively in the development of the Online Safety Bill. We will continue to pressure social media companies to do more to tackle hate on their platforms.

But we recognise we can do more. Collectively, we’re deeply committed to ensuring our game is representative of modern society by offering equality of opportunity across the whole of football.

Together, we will continue our work to make football a safer, more welcoming, and more enjoyable space for everyone.

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