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Stormzy calls former England keeper David James an 'absolute d*******' after Eni Aluko ruling

Artist criticises footballer after investigation rules former England manager Mark Sampson made discriminatory comments 

Niamh McIntyre
Thursday 19 October 2017 11:46 BST
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Rapper Stormzy criticised David James for his tweets on Eni Aloku
Rapper Stormzy criticised David James for his tweets on Eni Aloku (Getty)

Stormzy has slammed the ex-England goalkeeper David James on Twitter after the Football Association ruled that the former manager of the England’s women’s team made racist comments to Eni Aluko.

In September, Mr James said in a tweet which has now been deleted: “Mark Sampson sacked as England women’s manager?! Seems some wasted talent can’t deal with the fact they aren’t good enough! #enialuko “

Today, after the FA’s ruling, Stormzy quoted the tweet, branding the footballer an “absolute dickhead”.

“And all you lil cowardly dickheads who opened your mouth to spew statements such as “well there’s no proof” where are you I got time today”, the grime artist wrote.

“Dragged her name through the mud and tarnished her and then anyone who came to her defence was demonised as well.”

An independent investigation concluded on Wednesday that Mark Sampson had made racially discriminatory comments to Eni Aluko and her team mate Drew Spence.

Barrister Katharine Newton ruled that Mr Sampson’s “ill-judged attempts at humour” were discriminatory on two separate occasions.

The first incident occurred shortly the 2015 China Cup, when he asked Drew Spence, who is mixed race, whether she had ever been arrested.

The second incident which Ms Newton judged to have violated the Equality Act took place on a 2014 tour in Germany.

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Mr Sampson joked that Ms Aluko’s family, who moved to England from Nigeria when she was a young child, might bring Ebola with them.

FA chief executive Martin Glenn has “sincerely apologised” to Aluko and Spence over their former manager’s remarks.

He said in a statement: “Based on new evidence submitted to independent barrister Katharine Newton, she has now found that they were both subject to discriminatory remarks made by an FA employee. This is not acceptable.”

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