England women’s football star, Eniola Aluko, who is the elder sister of Nigeria striker Sone Aluko, has accused England women’s head coach Mark Sampson of subjecting her and her Nigerian family to a ‘racist’ jibe about the ebola virus.
The 30-year-old striker who plays for Chelsea Ladies told the BBC sports editor Dan Roan that she was ‘intimidated and shocked’ by the comments from Mark Sampson about her family in Nigeria contracting the killer disease.
The shocking claims follows her allegations in May 2016 that she was bullied by Sampson and that he made a remark with ‘racial connotations’ to another mixed-race player. But Mr Sampson and the Football Association have since denied Miss Aluko’s accusations.
Ever since she made the allegations against Sampson, she has been dropped from the England sqaud. But questions arose last week about why she was given £80,000 settlement by the FA after making the claims.
In the interview with BBC Yesterday, Miss Aluko further alleged she had been subjected to a ‘racist comment’ by the England coach before a match against Germany in 2014.
‘I found myself next to Mark Sampson and he asked me which family members were coming,’ she told the BBC. ‘I said, “I’ve got family coming in from Nigeria.” And he said, “Make sure they don’t come over with ebola.” I laughed because I was in shock. I didn’t know what to say.
‘I’m used to industrial language, used to a bit of banter, a bit of a joke – but that was about my family. I believe it was said to me because I am of African descent and my family is coming over from Nigeria at the time.
‘I believe it was an unfavourable comment made to me that made me feel completely shocked and intimidated that was said to me because I’m of African descent.’
According to her, she did not include the allegation in her formal complaint because she could not prove it. However, she insists the FA was subsequently made aware of the claim. But her coach also denied saying this, the BBC reported.
The England veteran striker said she has been ‘victimised’ for speaking out against discrimination.
‘If anybody, God forbid, was going through something difficult in the team right now, would they speak out? Judging by what’s happened to me over the last few weeks, I don’t think they would.’
It was also reported that The FA and women’s team head coach Mark Sampson have both denied the new claims of discriminatory behaviour against former striker Eniola Aluko,
Miss Aluko who was the first women’s player to appear as a pundit on Match of the Day, won 102 caps and scored 33 goals for her country, England. She was born in Lagos, Nigeria, but moved with her family to Birmingham in the West Midlands of England when she was a year old. (Source: BBC Sports, LIB)