JACK SIMPSON has apologised after being hit with an FA ban for a shocking racist rant aimed at a TEAM-MATE.
The former Rangers defender was last week suspended for six matches with details of the appalling incident revealed.
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Simpson admitted the abuse that took place during Cardiff City’s pre-season training camp in Portugal over the summer.
Having only moved to the Welsh side from Ibrox the previous year, the centre-back had his contract terminated by ‘mutual agreement’ shortly after the incident despite having a further year left on his deal.
Simpson, 27, is now a free agent and has been slapped by the six-game ban and £8,000 fine by the FA.
He admitted a misconduct charge and ‘used language towards a teammate that was abusive and/or insulting and/or improper contrary to FA Rule E3.1.’
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Details of Simpson’s shocking comments emerged, with it being revealed the defender called team-mate Rohan Luthra “a dirty P**i”.
As revealed by the FA’s evidence, Simpson had been on a night out with team-mates and “consumed high levels of alcohol” following a pre-season match with Porto.
The incident took place after the players reported for breakfast after 6am, just a couple of hours after he returned to his room.
The disgraceful comment was said in front of Keiron Evans and Rubin Colwill who both corroborated what had been said to goalkeeper Luthra and told Simpson at the time “you can’t say that.”
Simpson, whose girlfriend is of Indian heritage, later claimed he was “embarrassed and perturbed” by having used the words to Luthra, who is from a South Asian background.
He also told team-mate Evans: “I’m so stupid. I don’t know why I said that. My girlfriend is from that country as well.”
Simpson’s FA ban was confirmed towards the end of last week and the player has now broken his silence publicly on the matter.
Accepting he’d made a “racist remark,” the former Bournemouth stopper acknowledged the hurt he had caused.
Simpson also insisted he stands against racism and stated his hope that he will be able to make a footballing comeback.
He posted on social media: “I wish to apologise publicly and unreservedly for the racist remark I made to Rohan Luthra on July 23.
“I have done so in private and it is important now, after the publication of the Football Association commission into the matter, that I do so publicly to Rohan and to all those who are rightly hurt by the nature of my comment.
“I stand against racism in all forms and what was said on that day does not, I believe, reflect my beliefs or my character.
“I hope this message conveys how strongly I feel about my mistake and how I intend to own it, and emerge as a better person. I love the game and I hope to play it again professionally.”
Simpson had made 20 appearances for Cardiff after moving to the Bluebirds in August 2022 from Rangers.
Having been linked with a move to Ibrox for some time, he agreed a pre-contract deal with the Light Blues in January 2021 with the switch from Bournemouth being confirmed just a few weeks later.
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Simpson never managed to establish himself in the Rangers team, however, and left having played just 14 times in all competitions.
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