Soccer boss accepts misconduct rap for Jewish money jab

LONDON — The chairman of the Wigan Athletic soccer club accepted a Football Association misconduct charge Monday over racially insensitive remarks in a British newspaper interview.

Dave Whelan had made remarks against Chinese people and Jews in defending a manager’s own apparently anti-Semitic statements last month, drawing fire.

“We can confirm Mr. Whelan has accepted the charge and has requested a non-personal hearing but no date has been set for that,” the British FA said in a statement.

In The Guardian last month, Whelan defended his appointment of manager Malky Mackay, who is being investigated over claims he sent racist and anti-Semitic text messages to a colleague during his time at Cardiff City.

Referring to remarks allegedly made by Mackay, Whelan was quoted as saying it was “nothing” to call a Chinese person a “chink” and also said: “Jewish people do chase money more than everybody else.”

He subsequently apologized for any offence caused and declared that he was not a racist. He vowed that he would “immediately resign” as chairman of second-tier Wigan if found guilty by the FA.