The PFA have lashed out at an FA decision to clear a member of staff at Fleetwood Town of any wrongdoing by calling Adebayo Akinfenwa a ‘fat water buffalo’ – after the FA’s investigation found the term was not ‘objectively racist’.
The Wycombe striker was incensed after being ‘repeatedly’ called a fat water buffalo at last season’s League One play-off semi-final between the two sides, saying he felt ‘dehumanised’ by what he felt was a racist term.
The FA are satisfied the term was used – but employed a race relations expert who ruled it was not objectively racist and therefore there was insufficient evidence to indicate a rules breach.
However, both Wycombe and the PFA have expressed their disappointment with the findings, as the latter organisation argued that a white player of Akinfenwa’s physique would not have been labeled in the same way.
‘The PFA is disappointed that The FA has decided not to carry forward Wycombe Wanderers’ complaint of alleged racial abuse from a Fleetwood Town representative toward Adebayo Akinfenwa due to a lack of evidence,’ the players’ organisation said.
‘It is abundantly clear that a white player with a similar stature to Akinfenwa would never be described in the way he was during this incident.
Black people have battled dehumanisation for centuries, and the PFA strongly condemns the use of all disparaging remarks that compare Black players to animals.
“This type of hurtful, derogatory language is unacceptable, regardless of intent, and Adebayo showed great courage in coming forward to report this incident, which tarnished what should have been a night of celebration for Wycombe Wanderers.”
Meanwhile, the Championship club also expressed their disappointment in the outcome.
‘The Club disagrees with the conclusion of the Football Association (FA). The investigation confirms that the language was used,’ the statement read. “There is no place in sport for such comments.”
“The Club believes the FA had the opportunity to take appropriate steps to ensure the conduct was punished appropriately and to make sure that everyone knows that this type of comment will not be tolerated in the future. The failure of the FA to act is disappointing.”
The FA’s statement read: “The FA interviewed a number of witnesses, including players and staff from WWFC and FTFC, as well as two match officials.”
“Others were unsure whether the term was discriminatory. Some witnesses stated they did consider the term to be discriminatory.”
“The FA also commissioned a report from an independent expert in race relations to provide an expert opinion on the words. The expert was provided with all the details of the allegation, as well as the context in which the words were used, and concluded that the words were not objectively racist.”
Akinfenwa is yet to make a comment on the findings, but after the play-off semi-final, he took to Twitter to reveal his experiences of suffering racial abuse, highlighting how much more needs to be done to eradicate it from society
