Footballer awarded over £68,000 for race discrimination

-

Former Gillingham player, Mark McCammon, who won his race discrimination case against the club after being dismissed for alleged misconduct last year, has now been awarded more than £68,000.

The 33-year-old striker made British legal history in July by becoming the first black footballer to successfully bring a claim of racial victimisation against a professional football club, which he claims put him “through hell”.

At a remedy hearing McCammon was handed £68,728 and includes loss of earnings and breach of contract, his solicitor, Sim Owolabi, said.

The former Barbados international told a four-day hearing in Ashford, Kent, in June that he was treated differently from white players at the League Two club.

HRreview Logo

Get our essential weekday HR news and updates.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Keep up with the latest in HR...
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Optin_date
This field is hidden when viewing the form

 

Following the initial judgement the club said they were “staggered” and hugely “disappointed” by the decision. Whilst Gillingham chairman Paul Scally has branded the Tribunal’s decision as “nonsense”, saying the case was “one of the biggest injustices and nonsense decisions” he had heard of.

He added:

“The case is not over yet and of course that is just the beginning with the decision. Now what we have to do is decide where we take that decision and how we deal with it and what the consequences are. That’s what we will be doing in the next week or two.

“Ninety-nine per cent of people know it’s a complete nonsense decision and those that are close to the club know it’s an extraordinary nonsense and there is no credibility in it whatsoever so we don’t have to go convincing them because they already know.

“There probably isn’t a single person who supports this football club or plays for the club that has turned around and thought that was a good decision, in fact quite the opposite.”

In a statement, the club said: “Further to a meeting with the Chairman and lawyers yesterday [Thursday], and having considered the judgement of the case for discrimination, it is likely a formal appeal will be lodged over the next week or so.”

Pamela Flores is an events professional with experience at Symposium Events, a UK-based conference and events organization. She has worked in editorial and event coordination roles within the HR and expatriate management sector, contributing to the organization of major conferences including the Expatriate Management and Global Mobility conference. Her background spans online editorial work and events management within the professional conference industry.

Latest news

England’s overnight World Cup clash and 5am pub opening prompt CIPD advice

The CIPD is urging organisations to agree any flexibility before England's 1am World Cup last-16 tie to help minimise disruption at the start of the working week.

Russell Cowley: Gen Z – rebuilding workplace culture, break by break

Gen Z workers are taking proper breaks and in doing so, they may be fixing something the rest of us broke.

Fit for Work: Weekend warrior? You can still reap the health benefits

Weekend exercise can still improve long-term health, even for people who struggle to fit physical activity into the working week.

Superdry co-founder’s victim warns workplace power can silence abuse victims

A survivor's account raises questions about speaking-up cultures and accountability in organisations.
- Advertisement -

UK’s always-on work culture ‘driving employee burnout’

Nearly half of UK workers say they end most working days mentally exhausted as rising workplace pressure leaves employees and managers struggling to switch off.

Andrew Murray on why no two days look alike

A people development leader shares how travel, training and a passion for helping others shape a working day with little room for routine.

Must read

Chris Jay: Creating a culture where disability isn’t a secret

How does workplace culture impact disability disclosure? Managing Director...

A world of wellbeing: 4 characteristics of a good wellness initiative

Here are four key steps to introducing a successful wellness initiative into your workplace.
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you