England Women's goalkeeping coach Lee Kendall quits following Eniola Aluko claims
The FA said on Thursday that Welshman Kendall resigned despite an investigation concluding that no further action should be taken against him
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Lee Kendall has quit as goalkeeping coach of the England Women's team following the claim from Eni Aluko that he repeatedly spoke to her in a Caribbean accent.
The Football Association said on Thursday that Welshman Kendall resigned despite an investigation concluding that no further action should be taken against him.
Aluko, who is of African descent, made her claims during a review of the culture of the England team.
A statement from the FA said: "The FA has completed its investigation into allegations made by Eniola Aluko regarding Lee Kendall. The investigation has now concluded and it was decided that no further action was necessary.
"Despite the FA's conclusion, Lee Kendall has decided to resign from his position as goalkeeping coach of the England Women's senior team. It is Lee's choice to focus on the future and on pursuing his career elsewhere. We wish him well for the future."
Aluko told MPs at a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee hearing last month that Kendall, who called her "lazy as f***" while wearing a microphone for video analysis of a match against Finland in 2014, would also speak to her in a Caribbean accent.
The 102-cap striker said that was a habit she found deeply "annoying". "It would be like always speaking to him in a Scottish accent," she said.
The FA said it would be "unacceptable" for Kendall to have behaved in such a way as Aluko alleged.
He travelled with the England squad to the October 20 friendly away to France but was absent for the match amid growing attention on him. The FA refused at the time to say whether he had been sent home.
Former Wales Under-21 international Kendall was appointed as England's goalkeeping coach in January 2014, shortly after fellow Welshman Mark Sampson became manager.
Kendall, 36, now follows the sacked Sampson out of the England set-up.
Sampson, who managed England to semi-final appearances at the 2015 World Cup and this year's European Championship, was sacked on September 20 after allegations of inappropriate behaviour during his previous job with Bristol Academy.
Aluko and Chelsea club-mate Drew Spence also provided evidence of alleged racism against Sampson, who denied any wrongdoing.
Barrister Katharine Newton, in her second independent review of that case, found that Sampson had made "ill-judged attempts at humour, which, as a matter of law, were discriminatory on grounds of race".
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