FA council member Wasim Haq has resigned from his position after he was suspended over feedback he made in relation to the Israel-Hamas conflict and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Haq claimed in a social media publish – since deleted – practically two weeks in the past that “Adolf Hitler would be proud of Benjamin Netanyahu” amid Israel’s ongoing navy motion in Gaza.
The Garden Tennis Affiliation eliminated Haq, who was appointed in March 2021 to assist promote range and inclusion throughout the sport, from its council on November 13 after which the FA suspended him the subsequent day with an investigation ongoing.
However on Thursday, Haq shared a duplicate of his resignation letter addressed to FA chair Debbie Hewitt in a publish on X, previously often known as Twitter.
“Recent events have left me bereft of energy and hope. I have felt overwhelmed at how this has transpired,” the letter learn.
“As someone who has worked closely with many Jewish people over the years and created meaningful and valued friendships, the most painful part of this process is knowing that some of those friends and colleagues may not forgive me for the misunderstanding and hurt I have unintentionally caused.
“I take full duty and reiterate my apology to them and all these affected.”
Haq added that his original post was a “direct criticism of a politician” and was not addressed to any race or religious group.
“In expressing these emotions, I selected the unsuitable phrases solely and that has impacted the management place that I maintain at The FA,” Haq said.
Haq also said that he was planning to engage with members of the Jewish community “to share and perceive”.
Haq joined the FA council as BAME soccer communities consultant in 2019 and had additionally been on the FA’s Inclusion Advisory Board.
