English soccer club owner faces racism probe for saying Jews 'chase money'

Dave Whelan made the comments while trying to defend the hiring of a new manager, Malky Mackay, who himself is currently the subject of a Football Association racism probe.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Wigan Athletic's chairman and owner Dave Whelan (photo credit: REUTERS)
Wigan Athletic's chairman and owner Dave Whelan
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The owner of English soccer club Wigan Athletic was accused of anti-Semitism on Thursday after telling British daily The Guardian that "Jewish people chase money more than everybody else."
Dave Whelan made the comments while trying to defend the hiring of a new manager, Malky Mackay, who himself is currently the subject of a Football Association racism probe.
Mackay had sent texts and emails in which he referred to Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan as a "chink," and said of football agent Phil Smith, "Nothing like a Jew that sees money slipping through his fingers."
In his defense of the hire, Whelan told The Guardian that Mackay was merely speaking the truth: “Do you think Jewish people chase money a little bit more than we do? I think they are very shrewd people,” the paper quoted him as saying.
He added: “I think Jewish people do chase money more than everybody else. I don’t think that’s offensive at all.”
According to the Daily Mail, the Football Association was opening a new racism investigation into Whelan's comments.