Dan Ashworth, the FA’s technical director, is said to have told the England women’s team that Mark Sampson had not made discriminatory remarks to Eniola Aluko and Drew Spence.
He was addressing the side before what was to become Sampson’s final match in charge, a 6-0 World Cup win against Russia.
Ashworth is thought to have backed the manager and pointed out that two investigations had cleared him, a report on the BBC’s website claims.
Dan Ashworth is thought to have supported Mark Sampson ahead of his last game in charge
The players ran to celebrate with Sampson when England opened the scoring in the game at Tranmere’s Prenton Park, a move that was slammed as ‘disrespectful’ and ‘selfish’ by Aluko.
Sampson was sacked the day after the Russia game for ‘inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour’ in his previous job with Bristol Academy.
He was also later found to have made racially discriminatory comments towards Aluko and Spence, claims he has denied.
Under-fire Ashworth told last week’s hearing at the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport that he should have ‘asked for more detail’ about the allegations
The England team made a point of celebrating with Sampson in the Russia game
