The British anti-discrimination organization "Kick It Out" has criticized the punishment for a football coach for racist behavior as too low.
John Yems, former manager of English fourth-tier club Crawley Town FC, has been banned by the English Football Association (FA) for 15 months.
An independent commission had previously concluded that although Yems had made racist statements on several occasions, he was "not a conscious racist".
Kick It Out called the decision "a slap in the face" and a "dangerous precedent" in a statement on Twitter.
Yems is said to have repeatedly made comments about the ethnic background, colour, nationality, religion and gender of its players between 2019 and 2022.
Among other things, he is said to have called an Asian-born player a "suicide bomber", according to information from the "Times" in the report.
Several players had complained about his behavior.
Investigations were then launched and Crawley FC had parted ways with Yems - without giving any reason - "by mutual consent", as it was officially said.
The 63-year-old had admitted to one case and had been found guilty in eleven others.
The discriminatory language that becomes clear in the Commission's report is shocking, said "Kick It Out".
"Given the gravity of the incidents described, it is very difficult to understand how the panel came to the conclusion that 'Mr Yems is not a knowing racist'.
We do not share this view.
The behavior outlined in the report must be called exactly what it is, racism and Islamophobia.” The FA initially did not comment on the criticism.