England athletics bans official who said fleeing burglaries helps black sprinters
He was charged by both UKA and England Athletics with “misconduct and serious misconduct”.
A prominent member of the England Athletics board has been banned from holding such a position for three years after suggesting that black athletes make good sprinters because they have to flee the burglaries they commit.
Julian Starkey was the chairman of the governing body’s England Council as well as a director on the board when he made the “shocking” and “totally unacceptable” comment at an event run by Sporting Equals, which promotes ethnic diversity across sport, in November last year.
A witness alleged that Starkey, who has also been suspended from coaching for two years, said the following or similar words: “Usually when athletes start to be more specific in events, most black athletes tend to edge towards sprinting and hurdling . . . the blacks are all good at running because they have to get away from their burglaries.”
Starkey, who has also served as secretary of Bracknell Athletics Club, admitted to an independent UK Athletics disciplinary panel that he had made the comment, blaming mental health issues while claiming there had been “a gap between the first and second sentences”. His defence, however, was dismissed.
The 62-year-old resigned from his non-executive roles at England Athletics in December but it was only last month that the details of his case were published on the latest UKA sanctions list.
Starkey has been banned from operating as an athletics official for two years, while he is also prevented from holding an official position at a club for the same period. He has been issued with a “warning in respect of the serious misconduct committed” and is required to complete diversity education before he can reapply for membership or a licence.
He was charged by both UKA and England Athletics with “misconduct and serious misconduct”.
The disciplinary panel agreed with UKA that, while it accepted Starkey was suffering with mental health problems, it could not be used as mitigation. “The comment made was a serious act of misconduct and was totally unacceptable,” the panel stated in its written decision.
Starkey has been approached for comment. A statement from England Athletics said: “England Athletics operates a zero-tolerance approach towards discrimination and is committed to ensuring the sport of athletics provides an inclusive, safe, and welcoming environment for everyone. Anyone wishing to report any incidents of discrimination is urged to do so through the appropriate channels.”
