LMA issue apology for Malky Mackay 'friendly text message banter' statement
- League Managers Association have released a second statement
- They have apologised for 'some of its wording, which was inappropriate'
- Mackay's apology, issued through the LMA, provoked outrage after describing two racist text messages as 'friendly text message banter'
- Mackay and Iain Moody, who on Thursday resigned from his post at Crystal Palace, have been reported to the FA after series of texts
- Sportsmail revealed pair exchanged racist, sexist and homophobic messages
The League Managers Association have issued an apology for their poorly-worded statement written on behalf of shamed Malky Mackay.
The LMA released the statement on behalf of the former Cardiff manager on Thursday night in the wake of Sportsmail's staggering investigation into allegations of racist, sexist and homophobic texts exchanged between the 42-year-old Scot and and Iain Moody when they worked together at the Welsh club.
The initial statement said Mackay had been under pressure at the time of the messages and that he was 'letting off steam to a friend during some friendly text message banter'.
VIDEO Scroll down to watch Malky Mackay apologise for sending 'inappropriate' texts
Sorry: Mackay issued a poorly worded statement through the League Managers Association on Thursday night
That statement has been widely criticised by anti-discrimination campaigners within the game, and the LMA, in a shambolic fashion, felt compelled to apologise for how the first release had been worded.
'The LMA apologises for some of its wording, in its release yesterday, which was inappropriate and has been perceived to trivialise matters of a racist, sexist or homophobic nature. That was certainly not our intention,' the statement read.
'It is beyond argument that any comments that are discriminatory, even used in private, are totally unacceptable. The LMA remains absolutely aware of our responsibility to the game and to promote and uphold the highest standards of behaviour.'
The new LMA statement concluded: 'The LMA will not be commenting further on the allegations relating to Malky Mackay whilst the Football Association conducts its investigation, other than to repeat that both the LMA and Malky will be co-operating fully.
'We will continue to work with all of the game's stakeholders to address the important issues of respect and discriminatory behaviour in all its forms.'
Shock: Iain Moody, Crystal Palace's director of football and Mackay's former colleague, has also been reported
Cardiff were also upset with the initial statement by the LMA.
Current Cardiff manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, meanwhile, says he has not encountered any form of racism during his time in football.
Solskjaer, speaking at his press conference ahead of Saturday's Championship game at Wolves, refused to comment on the specifics of the Mackay case.
But Solskjaer said: 'From my experience I had no problem in my dressing rooms at Man United or Molde.
'We all have opinions and I think people know my stand on it. I will discuss mine in due time but I know if I say what happens, if I say something, it will create headlines.
'I don't want to say anything to take my focus away from the players.'
Making his point: Current Cardiff manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he had never encountered racism
Troy Townsend, the education and development manager for Kick It Out, said: 'I wish this was the statement they (the LMA) had prepared yesterday.
'Does today undo the damage from yesterday? I don't think it does. It is welcome but yesterday will stick in people's minds. I wish (the LMA) had taken a step back and said 'this would have been more appropriate' in the first place.'
Townsend's comments follow the backlash from current and former professionals including Rio Ferdinand, Stan Collymore and Jason Roberts.
Sending a message: Both Rio Ferdinand and Stan Collymore (below) tweeted about the LMA statement
On Friday morning Ferdinand tweeted: 'Who wrote the #LMA statement???'.
Former Liverpool striker Collymore described the LMA's statement as being 'f****** disgraceful'.
He said on Twitter: 'LMA statement. F****** disgraceful. Institutional acceptance of the "banter" of casual racism.'
He does feel Mackay deserves a second chance, though, adding: 'Always kind to me, hope he says sorry (if true), and moves on.'
Roberts, another former player who has worked closely on eliminating discrimination, tweeted excerpts from the LMA's statement and then said: 'That's it..I'm done for the evening..The LMA said it better than I ever could.. They are actually being serious! Somebody drafted that..WOW!'
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