Dave Whelan in anti-Semitism row after comments made in defence of Wigan boss Malky Mackay

Dave Whelan in anti-Semitism row after comments made in defence of Wigan boss Malky Mackay

Owner of Wigan Dave Whelan has been accused of anti-Semitism after having defended the decision to appoint Malky Mackay as manager of the club Championship.

The decision to hire Mackay has caused controversy because the Manager is being investigated by the FA to send text messages offensive during his time as Director of Cardiff City.

One of the messages referred to the Jewish football agent Phil Smith and seemed to suggest that a Jewish person would be more disturbed to lose money than non-Jews.

But in an interview with The Guardian, Whelan has downplayed the importance of the text.

He said: "the Jews don't like losing money. Nobody likes to lose money. Do you think Jewish people chase money a little more than we do? I think that they are very insightful people.

"I think that the Jewish people run after money more than everyone else. I do not think it is shocking at all. »

The Jewish Leadership Council condemned the views of Mr. Whelan and appealed to him to withdraw his remark.

Simon Johnson of the Jewish Leadership Council said: "Unfortunately Mr. Mackay and now Mr. Whelan have referred to some of the worst tropes outmoded, that have been used in the past as the basis for anti-Semitism and stereotypes of the Jewish people.

"Mackay used a vocabulary insulting to insult a fellow participating in football using a foil racial stereotype."

And Johnson tweeted: "I call Dave Whelan to withdraw and to apologize for his use of the language of disgraceful anti-Semite".

Whelan also defended the comments of Mackay on the owner of Cardiff City Vincent Tan.

Mackay was used in another text message, what is generally perceived as a term offensive to describe Tan, which is Malaysia, but Whelan told the Guardian, that he did not think that the term is offensive.

Sponsor deviates

A Wigan shirt sponsors, range of Prime Minister, announced Thursday they have finished their relationship with the club to protest the decision to hire Mackay before the conclusion of the federal probe.

Whelan has implied that he believes that nothing will not investigated but FA Chairman Greg Dyke, said that he was surprised by the comments.

Dyke said: "we have a separate judicial arm that does all this. I spoke to them today and they say that they are still doing the investigation.

"There are many emails. They cross, trawling, and they will make decisions.

"What I don't understand is the Chairman of Wigan, when he said that he had spoken to people at the FA who have said there will be no action."

"I don't think that the decision was taken at all. Dave Whelan has obviously spoken to someone, but I do not think that what he said is right. »

The FA has also released a statement which read: "we want to make it clear to the FA investigation in the conduct of Malky Mackay and (former head of recruitment Cardiff), Iain Moody remains open and no assurances have been given by the FA as to the outcome of this case."

"In the circumstances special and exceptional of the present case, the FA would like to provide some clarification on the status of the investigation.

"The FA came not in possession of evidence of relevant messages until mid-October. Out of thousands of e-mails and texts and we are still trying to obtain additional information.

"The FA is continuing its investigation if these messages indicate a culture in which the other discriminatory acts may have occurred." This process inevitably takes time. Both Mr. Mackay and Mr. Moody are cooperated fully with the ongoing process.

"We fully appreciate the need to act quickly on this issue. However, there is a complex investigation and the FA will make no further comment at this time. »

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