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FA must come down on anti-gay attitudes 'like a ton of bricks' - Clarke

Football Association chairman Greg Clarke told MPs he was "ashamed" of the game's anti-gay attitude and the governing body must do more to tackle this "vile abuse."

Clarke, who was speaking before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said there was a vocal minority in grounds and on social media who currently make it "impossible" for a leading player to come out as gay.

The former Leicester and Football League chairman was in Westminster to answer questions about the FA's response to the corruption allegations reported by the Daily Telegraph last month but he was also asked by John Nicolson if there were any gay players in the Premier League.

Clarke said he "would be amazed if we don't have gay players in the Premier League" and admitted that he was "ashamed players don't have the confidence to come out."

When Nicolson, the Scottish Nationalist MP for East Dunbartonshire, remarked that gay people are now common in almost every other walk of life and that "football should reflect society," Clarke agreed but said "big crowds makes bad people brave."

The new FA boss explained that he had been at Egham vs. St Albans in the FA Cup on Saturday when "there was no abuse in a crowd of 300 because everybody knew each other" but that is not the case at bigger games.

To illustrate this point, Clarke referred to the alleged anti-gay abuse by Luton fans at Leyton Orient on the same day and said this was something the FA needs to "come down on like a ton of bricks."

Nicolson asked Clarke about a Daily Mirror story in 2015 about two top-flight players who wanted to come out as gay but appear to have changed their minds.

The FA boss said he was not surprised they had decided against this as his advice to any gay player would be to keep their sexuality secret.

Nicolson, a former TV presenter who came out in 1999, asked Clarke what message that sends out to the wider community, particularly to younger people considering the same step.

Clarke offered no defence of football's failure to set a better example but said: "I can't give you enough of a commitment as to how much I hate that behaviour -- it needs stamping out.

"I'm just cautious about advising people to come out until we've done our job."

There was another area where Clarke was forced to admit that the football could and should be doing a lot more: better access for fans with disabilities at grounds.

This is the subject of another CMS committee session on Tuesday, with the Premier League's executive director Bill Bush, Steve Gilbert from the Wrexham Disabled Supporters Association and the Equality and Human Rights Commission's Lord Holmes of Richmond facing questions from the MPs.

But Ian Lucas, the Labour MP for Wrexham, used his chance to quiz Clarke on the FA's record in improving facilities for fans with disabilities.

Clarke admitted that the FA and the leagues had set minimum standards for each club to reach but said some are still failing to meet them because there are no sanctions.

He explained that it was easier to give fans in wheelchairs a good view of the game -- out of the elements and with great access refreshments and toilets -- at new grounds but said that was no excuse for Premier League clubs in old stadia as money "was not the problem ... it's about making some tough decisions."

Clarke promised Lucas that the FA and Premier League would continue to fund the Level Playing Field campaign group that is working to improve facilities across British football and said he would continue to work with experts to find solutions.

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