THE fallout continued yesterday from Wednesday’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee hearing into the treatment of footballer Eni Aluko by former England women’s manager Mark Sampson.

The four senior Football Association officials who appeared before MPs have all faced calls to resign over the handling of a botched investigation into Aluko’s allegations of discriminatory behaviour towards her and a mixed-race player. As of last night, all four were still clinging to their jobs, despite warnings the FA risks losing public confidence over the crisis.

The saga raises two key issues. Firstly, would those at the top of the FA have been quite so dismissive if such serious allegations had been made by a senior male player?

Secondly, how can figures such as FA chairman Greg Clarke and chief executive Martin Glenn, both with extensive business experience, be so lacking in awareness of the standards of basic corporate governance?

Setting aside the fact the organisation they work for actively campaigns to eradicate racism, why, when an allegation was made that a senior employee told a black colleague to be careful her Nigerian relatives did not bring the Ebola virus to Wembley, did they not do everything in their power to getto the truth? Instead, because of woefully inadequate procedures, it took two investigations plus sustained media and parliamentary pressure to find Sampson did make discriminatory remarks.

Looking at Aluko’s treatment, would anyone now feel comfortable reporting discrimination within football? This is one scandal too many for the FA. It needs new leadership with a better knowledge of the standards required in a modern, diverse organisation.