MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe recalled his “responsibility as a participant in English football” after sparking a storm of criticism. Britain claims to have been ‘colonized’ by immigration.
However, the English Football Association will not prosecute Ratcliffe over his comments, which were widely condemned by politicians and club supporters, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Friday that the governing body issued a notice to Ratcliffe reminding him of his responsibilities when giving media interviews. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.
Ratcliffe, the British billionaire who owns petrochemical giant INEOS, made the comments in an interview on Sky News that aired last week.
“It’s impossible to sustain an economy with 9 million people on benefits and a huge influx of immigrants,” he said. “So Britain was colonized.”
Mr Ratcliffe’s comments struck a nerve in Britain. Immigration is a divisive issue. He later said he was sorry that his choice of words “hurt some people.”
Mr Starmer had earlier called for an apology, saying: “Britain is a proud, tolerant and diverse country.”
United fans, who are proud of the diversity of their team and their supporter base, also condemned his words.
Manchester United Supporters Trust said: “Senior leaders should make inclusion easier, not harder.”
Critics accused Mr Ratcliffe of “hypocrisy”, saying he chose to live in Monaco to reduce his UK tax bill.
Carrick is proud of Manchester United’s culture
United head coach Michael Carrick said earlier on Friday that the Premier League club prides itself on its culture of equality and diversity.
Carrick recently employed as a coach until the end of the seasonfaced the media for the first time since Ratcliffe’s remarks and was asked to respond.
“Sir Jim has issued a statement and the club has since issued a statement based on that, so it is not my place for me to add to that,” he said. “What I can say is that I have been at this club for many years and we always have a big impact globally.
“We are really proud of the environment and culture at this club and equality, diversity and mutual respect are what we strive to live up to every day.”
___
AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
