'Whelan should quit football'

Stephen Perry, chairman of England's 48 Group Club, has said that under-fire Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan should quit after being accused of antisemitism and racism.

"Mr Whelan needs to retire from front line of football," Perry said Friday, reports Xinhua.

"The football authorities need to ensure that if he does not go voluntarily."

Whelan is being investigated by the Football Association (FA) after making controversial comments about the Jewish and Chinese people.

The 66-year-old Perry, also managing director of London Export Corporation, an Anglo-Chinese trading group, brought West Bromwich Albion to Beijing to take on the Chinese national team in 1979, making it the first west European football team in China.

"Mr Whelan should regret what he said very deeply as he holds a privileged position in a sport that millions look towards for their leisure enjoyment. He had abused his privilege," he said.

"The football authorities should take strong action to ensure that all those in football are aware of the great responsibility they carry. He would be very upset if a southern football chairman had made similar comments about northerners, and rightly so," he added.

"He has done damage to the communities he characterised, and to Wigan for falsely representing them as prejudiced and unpleasant."

He, however, found nothing wrong in newly-appointed manager Malky Mackay's comments about Jewish people.

"I think Jewish people do chase money more than everybody else. I don't think that's offensive at all," Whelan said.

The 77-year-old Whelan also said there was "nothing bad'' about a message sent by Mackay in which he used a term widely perceived as being insulting toward Chinese people.

Whelan has apologised, saying he would never insult Jewish or Chinese people, but there has been an outcry over his comments and the English FA said it is "very concerned" about the matter.