Palios resigns as FA chief executive
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-08-03 06:22

Mark Palios resigned as chief executive of the Football Association on Sunday saying it was important that he took "ultimate responsibility for everything the FA has done in good times and bad."

The FA and Palios, who took over England's ruling body in July last year, have come under increasing pressure after it was revealed that he and England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson had an affair with the same woman, FA secretary Faria Alam.

"I have resigned this evening as chief executive of the FA," Palios said in a statement on the FA website.

"I am very sad that I feel this is necessary," said Palios.

"It has been a privilege to be chief executive of the FA but with privilege comes the burden of responsibility. And it has been important for me to take the ultimate responsibility for everything the FA has done in good times and bad.

"Personally, I do not accept that I have been guilty of any wrongdoing. But it has been clear to me that my action tonight is essential to enable the Football Association to begin to return to normality."

Executive director David Davies has been put in temporary charge of the FA with immediate effect and the organization is due to make a formal statement on Monday.

The latest twist in the saga came after Sunday's News of the World reported that the FA tried to broker a deal with the newspaper to protect Palios over his affair with Alam.

The paper said it had been approached by FA head of communications Colin Gibson, who offered to provide details of coach Eriksson's relationship with Alam if similar allegations regarding Palios were kept quiet.

Gibson, who has since also offered his resignation, said in an interview with BBC radio earlier on Sunday that the FA was aware of the attempts to make a deal with the paper.

Emergency meeting

The FA have called an emergency meeting with Eriksson for Thursday, when the Swede's future as England coach is to be discussed.

The FA has been investigating whether it was misled, having been forced to confirm Eriksson's affair with Alam after initially denying it. The FA admitted Palios had a relationship with Alam but had cleared him of misleading the ruling body.

Eriksson, who is attending the Amsterdam tournament following a holiday in Sweden, said last week he had never confirmed or denied to the FA that he had an affair with Alam.

Palios, a former professional player turned chartered accountant, took over at the FA from Adam Crozier determined to make discipline in the game a top priority and with an agenda to also deal with drugs and hooliganism in the sport.

His first major test came when Rio Ferdinand missed a drugs test last year, which led to the England and Manchester United defender receiving an eight-month ban.

Palios then weathered a revolt by England players, who threatened to strike when Ferdinand was left out of the squad, due to the missed test, before a crucial Euro 2004 qualifier.

The FA in March extended Eriksson's England contract until 2008, after the manager was linked with a job at Chelsea.

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