Eniola Aluko: FA pays second half of settlement fee to Chelsea striker

FA chief's request 'bordering on blackmail' - Aluko addresses inquiry

Eniola Aluko has received the second half of her £80,000 settlement fee from the Football Association.

The fee was agreed in March after an investigation had initially cleared ex-England women boss Mark Sampson of making racially discriminatory remarks to Chelsea striker Aluko.

The 30-year-old claimed at a parliamentary inquiry earlier this month that FA chief executive Martin Glenn said she would have "to write a statement saying the FA were not institutionally racist" if she was to receive the full payment.

Glenn has denied this and English football's governing body says the settlement fee with Aluko was reached in order to avoid disruption to England's Euro 2017 preparations.

Speaking at the parliamentary inquiry on 18 October, Aluko said Glenn told her that a tweet she posted in August had breached an agreement not to defame each other.

In her tweet she wrote: "At least we now know the FA's stance on derogatory racial remarks by an England manager. Ignore, deny, endorse. In that order."

Glenn, who also appeared before the Departure for Culture Media and Sport committee, disputed Aluko's claim - but admitted the FA considered her tweet to be a breach of their deal.

The FA apologised on the day of the parliamentary inquiry for racially discriminatory remarks made by Sampson to Aluko in 2014 and to her Chelsea and England team-mate Drew Spence in 2015, as a reopened investigation into their complaints was published.

An independent barrister, Katharine Newton, ruled that Sampson made unacceptable "ill-judged attempts at humour" on two occasions and made remarks which were "discriminatory on the grounds of race".

However, she said she did not believe he is racist and said Aluko was not subjected to "a course of bullying".

I didn't expect it to be Eni Aluko versus the FA

FA bosses faced uncomfortable questions over four hours at the parliamentary inquiry, with one MP labelling the organisation "shambolic".

Chelsea striker Aluko said she felt "vindicated and relieved" by the reopened investigation's conclusion, but accused the governing body of behaviour "bordering on blackmail" and having an agenda to protect Sampson and its own reputation.

Sampson was sacked in September for "inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour" at his previous job with Bristol Academy.

Glenn said the 35-year-old Welshman, who was paid nine months' salary on his departure, may proceed with a wrongful dismissal claim.

Meanwhile, the FA has announced the appointment of Kate Tinsley to its board as an independent non-executive director.

Tinsley, an FA qualified coach, is chief executive of The Buildbase Group, which sponsors the FA Vase.

She is the only women among the board, which is still one member short of the required 10. From the start of the 2018-19 season, the FA has vowed that it will have three female members.