Richard Scudamore faces pressure to quit, but Premier League bosses REFUTE culture of sexism

• Premier League chief executive facing growing tide of criticism
• Heather Rabbatts claims Scudamore has presided over culture that 'demeans women'
• Sponsor Barclays has expressed its disappointment to the Premier League
• But Premier League defended its working environment
  

By Martin Ziegler

Published: 02:53 EST, 18 May 2014 | Updated: 02:53 EST, 18 May 2014

The Premier League has defended its working environment after the woman who blew the whistle on sexist emails sent by chief executive Richard Scudamore said she was 'humiliated, belittled and disgusted' when reading the messages.

Rani Abraham, who worked as a temporary personal assistant for Scudamore, told the Sunday Mirror: 'This is not the sort of thing that goes on in offices these days.'

It comes after the Football Association's independent board member Heather Rabbatts, who will chair a meeting of its inclusion advisory board to discuss the case on Tuesday, issued a statement saying Scudamore should consider his position in light of 'growing evidence of a closed culture of sexism' at the Premier League.

Feeling the heat: Scudamore has been under fire following the publication of sexist emails

A Premier League statement said a review of the matter was under way ahead of a hearing by its audit and remuneration committee on Monday.

The statement said: 'We do not recognise this characterisation of the working environment at the Premier League, nor do we believe that it can be supported by the facts.

'The chief executive has already apologised for any offence caused and a proper review of all the evidence is now under way within the Premier League's established and rigorous procedures.

'This process is not yet concluded and it is therefore not possible to offer comments in detail at this stage. However we will make a further statement in due course

'The Premier League continues to be fully committed to treating all staff fairly and on merit, regardless of gender.'

The emails referred to women in a derogatory terms, contained sexual innuendos, and made jokes about 'female irrationality'.

Abraham felt she had a duty to speak out about the contents of emails between her boss and his lawyer friend.

Wading in: Greg Dyke has described Scudamore's email remarks as 'totally inappropriate'

She added: 'I personally hope that progress can be made on all of these fronts so that we can feel confident that the leaders of football are accountable for their actions and support a culture that genuinely welcomes the participation of women and girls in our national game.'

Sponsor Barclays has expressed its disappointment to the Premier League, which has raised the stakes ahead of a meeting of the league's audit and remuneration committee, chaired by Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck, on Monday to discuss the case.

Buck's involvement has also raised questions, as he is known to be a friend and shooting partner of Scudamore's. The Premier League is reported to have brought in Milltown Partners public relations agency to advise it on handling the crisis - and it also reported that the PR company works for Chelsea too.

Meanwhile, England women internationals have added their voice to the criticism.

Important role: Scudamore presented Man City players with their Premier League winners' medals

'Mr Scudamore has a huge amount of influence and is paid a vast sum of money and has behaved wrongly,' she said.

'Having witnessed that I felt I had a duty to speak out. If I didn't then I'd somehow be condoning his behaviour - just like the other people who saw those messages.

'Despite what some people have said since the Sunday Mirror printed the story last week, this is not the sort of thing that goes on in offices these days.

'And for those people who've attacked me for saying they were just 'jokes' I wonder how they would feel if their wife or girlfriend or daughter had to read messages like that.

'And how would they feel if those messages were written about their wife or girlfriend or daughter?'

Pressure: Rabbatts believes Scudamore should consider his position at the Premier League

Since the story broke a week ago, a number of England women internationals have expressed their outrage at the emails, and FA chairman Greg Dyke called them 'totally inappropriate'.

Sponsor Barclays has expressed also its disappointment to the league, which has raised the stakes ahead of Monday's meeting of the league's audit and remuneration committee, chaired by Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck.

Buck's involvement has also raised questions however, as he is known to be a friend and shooting partner of Scudamore's. The Premier League is reported to have brought in Milltown Partners public relations agency to advise it on handling the crisis, the PR company which also works for Chelsea.