England Women National head coach, Mark Sampson, has been under fire after his 30-year-old team player, Eniola Aluko, accused him of subjecting her to a ‘racist’ jibe about the ebola virus, and further claiming that her family in Nigeria might have contracted the disease.
Though Mr. Mark has denied these claims, however questions arose last week about why she received an £80,000 settlement by the FA after making the claims, as she further alleged she had been subjected to a ‘racist comment’ by the England coach before a match against Germany in 2014, with ‘racial connotations’ to another mixed-race player.
Eniola Aluko
‘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.’
Eniola Aluko
Eniola Aluko, who plays for Chelsea Ladies and also elder sister of Nigeria striker Sone Aluko, also alleged that she has been ‘victimised’ for speaking out against discrimination, as she was dropped from the squad soon afterwards and was not part of the squad that reached the semi-finals of the European Championship this summer.
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