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GUARDIAN
Hoddle's future in doubt after disabled slur
By John Arlidge and Patrick Wintour
theguardian.com, Saturday 30 January 1999 14.56 EST Glenn Hoddle's future as England football coach was on the line last night as Cabinet Ministers condemned his claims that people born with disabilities were being punished for the sins of a former life - and details emerged of another interview in which he expressed similar remarks.
Amid an outcry from disability groups, politicians and fans, Hoddle, a born-again Christian, sought to defuse the row by saying he was 'so sorry'. His words had been 'misinterpreted' and 'taken out of context'.
However, The Observer can reveal that he expressed the same controversial views in a hitherto unpublicised interview last year on Radio 5 Live's sports show, Brian Alexander's Sportsweek. In the interview, a tape of which has been obtained by this newspaper, Hoddle discussed his religious beliefs.
'I have got an inner belief and an inner faith with God. I do believe spiritually we have to progress because we've been here before. The physical body is just an overcoat for your spirit. At death you take the overcoat off and your spirit will go on to another life in a spirit dimension.
'I think we make mistakes when we are down here and our spirit has to come back and learn. That's why there is an injustice in the world. Why there's certain people born into the world with terrible physical problems and why there's a family who has got everything right, physically and mentally.'
The disclosure will stoke the growing row over Hoddle's beliefs. Ministers said last night they were dismayed. Culture Secretary Chris Smith told the Observer: 'What he seems to have got forgotten in all this is that Britain has some of the most talented disabled athletes in the world.' Asked whether he thought Hoddle should resign, Smith replied: 'The implications of my remarks are clear.'
Welfare groups representing Britain's disabled yesterday described Hoddle as 'unfit to lead the national team'. Lord Alf Morris, Labour MP and the world's first Minister for the disabled, called his words 'grossly and unbelievably insensitive and hurtful'.
In a series of angry outbursts yesterday, Hoddle vehemently denied he had told the Times that the handicapped had come back to Earth to suffer. 'I can assure you that is not what I said and that is not what I mean.' His comments had been 'turned on their head . . . misconstrued, misinterpreted'.
However Matt Dickinson, the Times sports writer who wrote the story, said last night: 'I reported the interview faithfully and accurately and now its for others to draw their own opinions.'
Hoddle, 41, told the Times that people were reincarnated 'to learn and face some of the things you have done - good and bad.' He said: 'You and I have been physically given two hands and two legs and half-decent brains. Some people have not been born like that for a reason. The karma is working from another lifetime. I have nothing to hide about that. It is not only people with disabilities. What you sow, you have to reap.'
Hoddle last night got the backing of the Football Association, which said he was an excellent supporter of disabled sport. 'By his actions over many years - publicised and unpublicised - Glenn Hoddle has worked tirelessly on behalf of the disabled and he will continue to do so,' a spokesman said.
Eileen Drewery, Hoddle's faith healer, added: 'Glenn is a very good man; these comments don't reflect his views at all.'
But Sports Minister Tony Banks said Hoddle was 'from another world. 'I have listened carefully to Glen Hoddle's views as expressed on the tape obtained by The Observer. They are totally unacceptable. If his theory is correct, he is in for real problems in the next life. He will probably be doomed to come back as Glenn Hoddle.'
www.theguardian.com/football/1999/jan/30/newsstory.sport7 BBC - Wednesday, February 3, 1999 Published at 04:41 GMT
Sport: Football
Hoddle sacked
Glenn Hoddle: Leaves the job after two-and-a-half years
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Glenn Hoddle has lost his job as England manager after his comments about disabled people.
The Hoddle File
Hoddle, who is replaced by former Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson for next week's friendly against World Champions France, apologised for a "serious error of judgement".
FA Executive Director David Davies told a chaotic news conference: "The FA and Glenn Hoddle have agreed to terminate Glenn's contract.
BBC Sports Correspondent Kevin Gearey: "The media frenzy pursued him to the end"
"After more than 24 hours of meetings and discussions it became apparent to all those concerned that this was the right decision for England football.
"The position had become increasingly untenable for both the FA and Glenn Hoddle, who accepts he made a serious error of judgement and of course he has apologised.
"The past few days have been painful for everyone involved but that is as nothing compared to any offence caused to disabled people in our community and our country.
"This was not what Glenn intended."
'I apologise'
Glenn Hoddle: "I accept I made a serious error of judgement"
Later Hoddle said: "I accept I made a serious error of judgement in an interview which caused misunderstanding and pain to a number of people.
"This was never my intention and for this I apologise.
"My sincere thanks for the support goes to loved ones, family, friends and media colleagues who have worked with me over the past few days to try and establish the truth.
"My personal thanks go to my staff, colleagues and in particular the players with whom I have worked over the past two years as England coach.
"I thank them deeply."
Hoddle concluded his brief statement by wishing Wilkinson and his former assistant John Gorman good luck for the friendly against France at Wembley next week.
'Nothing to hide'
Hoddle, who had been in the job for two-and-a-half years, attended the crisis meeting at the Football Association's Lancaster Gate headquarters on Tuesday to learn his fate.
He had ruled out resigning over his comments in last Saturday's Times, interpreted as suggesting disabled people were being made to pay for the sins of past lives.
"You and I have been physically given two hands and two legs and half-decent brains," he was quoted as saying.
"Some people have not been born like that for a reason. The karma is working from another lifetime.
"I have nothing to hide about that. It is not only people with disabilities. What you sow, you have to reap."
Before the FA's decision, he said his comments had been misinterpreted and he was considering legal action against The Times, which is standing by its story.
Sporting triumphs
Sports Minister Tony Banks said: "It is a personal tragedy that Glenn Hoddle's career as England coach has ended in this fashion.
"He is a decent man but his views as expressed caused distress to many disabled sports men and women who have achieved so many sporting triumphs for the country."
Chairman of the Football Task Force David Mellor added: "I take no pleasure in the demise of Glenn Hoddle but I do not think he gave the FA any choice.
"His personal beliefs have become inextricably linked with his job. English football was being dragged down by Glenn Hoddle's bizarre beliefs."
But Hoddle's controversial faith healer Eileen Drewery defended him, saying he had been forced out by a media "witch-hunt".
"They have done this not just to Glenn, they have done it to other England managers," she said.
"As far as I'm concerned we don't deserve him, we have never treated him right in this country. He has been given a very raw deal."
'Absolute disgrace'
The news conference announcing Hoddle's departure was interrupted by a protester screaming abuse. He later identified himself as Gary, from Liskeard, Cornwall, but living in Wimbledon, south-west London.
The labourer, who was wearing a white Liverpool away shirt, told reporters: "What Glenn Hoddle has done is out of order, he's an absolute disgrace to English football."
Admitting he had had "a few drinks", he added: "I've got disabled relatives and Hoddle should have been sacked on the spot as soon as he said it."
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