“Deep down, I am absolutely gutted”

Former Football Association of Wales (FAW) President Phil Pritchard has revealed that he is “absolutely gutted” after being told that the football governing body is completely severing its ties with him.

Welshpool-based Mr Pritchard said that he has been treated “abysmally” by the FAW after dedicating 60 years of service to football at all levels of the game.

Last night, the FAW issued a statement saying that they would “terminate Mr Pritchard’s association with the FAW with immediate effect” following a disciplinary hearing that was also referred to an independent arbitration panel.

This morning, Mr Pritchard said he didn’t want to make a comment on the outcome but that: “Deep down I am absolutely gutted. I have been treated abysmally. No-one should be treated like I have been by the FAW hierarchy.”

What we know about the case

Mr Pritchard (right), who was President from 2009-2012, was charged by the FAW following an allegation that he made a sexist remark to a waitress during an official dinner. He admitted the charge after saying that paying for representation at an independent tribunal “would have cost £12,000 in legal costs”.

Mr Pritchard told us that he admitted making a joke, and that it was “never my intention to upset anyone, and for that I am sorry”.

Disciplinary proceedings were brought against Mr Pritchard in October 2022, following a complaint received by the FAW regarding his conduct. The matter was referred to an independent arbitration panel which decided that an appropriate sanction was to suspend Mr Pritchard. His suspension was subsequently enforced after they claimed that he failed to comply with conditions set out within the panel’s decision.

Further disciplinary proceedings were brought by the FAW in May 2023 as a result of Mr Pritchard’s comments to the media about the original outcome, with the FAW deciding that the appropriate sanction was to terminate his association with the FAW with immediate effect.

The FAW statement

“Following a recent disciplinary matter brought by the Football Association of Wales against Mr Philip Pritchard, which was considered by an independent arbitration panel, Mr Pritchard’s association with the FAW has ended with immediate effect. Mr Pritchard therefore ceases to be a past president, council member and shareholder of the FAW.

“Disciplinary proceedings were brought against Mr Pritchard in October 2022 following a complaint received by the FAW regarding Mr Pritchard’s conduct. The matter was referred to an independent arbitration panel which decided that an appropriate sanction was to suspend Mr Pritchard. The sanction delivered by the panel included a suspended suspension that was subsequently enforced after Mr Pritchard failed to comply with conditions set out within the panel’s decision.

“Further disciplinary proceedings were brought by the FAW in May 2023 as a result of comments made by Mr Pritchard to the BBC. This matter was also referred to an independent arbitration panel. After considering all of the facts, the panel decided that the appropriate sanction was to terminate Mr Pritchard’s association with the FAW with immediate effect.”

PICTURE: Happier times. Phil Pritchard was President when Gary Speed sadly took his own life and appointed Chris Coleman (pictured) as national team manager.