The Candi team

THE governing body of the nation’s favourite sport needs to urgently take action to help clubs clamp down on toxic lads culture that makes the game “unwelcoming”, one of Camden’s top clubs said this week.

Camden and Islington (Candi) United said football league organisers did not have measures in place to ensure they were supported after boycotting a semi-final clash in Wembley on Sunday.

Candi – which is community owned and has three men’s and women’s teams – had criticised a series of posts on social media by their opponents, Munter Hunters FC. A “munter hunter” is defined online as slang for “one who on a regular basis pursues particularly unattractive females or munters, with the sole objective of getting ­passionate with them, to boost their own self-esteem”.

The FA say they are investigating but the club says stricter codes of conduct need to be put in place to help its affiliated leagues’ organisers “act swiftly and decisively in circumstances where offensive misogynist and discriminatory behaviour is displayed, in person or online”.

Nick Wigmore, founder and chief executive of the club, said: “They don’t know how to deal with it, which is the problem. We’re not trying to get people banned or deprive people of football. Our main frustration has been the systematic problems of dealing with this kind of stuff.

“We asked to speak with the league, and offered to help them implement a code of ­conduct, but to no avail. We don’t feel able to play until we have received a commitment from ­everyone involved to do better. We found no indication of willingness to deal with it. The instinct is to brush it off.

“What we’re pushing for is better education for leagues and better guidelines. Football needs to get better to help deal with situations like this. There is still much work to be done, to educate and embolden leagues to take decisive action when they are made aware of offensive and discriminatory behaviour.

“It makes me proud though because the boys were willing to say ‘no, we are not going to play against a team with that name’. They wanted to stick up for women at our club. We don’t just exist so a bunch of lads can play football on Sunday.”

Candi plays its matches in Regent’s Park, Market Road and Hackney Marshes and has more than 150 players on its books. The club runs free sessions for 18 to 24-year-olds at Castlehaven, and also walking football for older people. It is involved in community work and food banks. It has 50 per cent women on its board.

Mr Wigmore, 42, who went to William Ellis and has lived in Camden his whole life, said: “I think in football a lot of people put up with behaviour that you wouldn’t do in other walks of life. We’ve had players say to us, ‘oh it’s just men’s football’. It has been described to me as comfortably toxic.”

The New Journal has seen posts by Munter Hunters FC that has said it would not comment until an investigation was complete.

Kat Craig, a human rights lawyer and sports consultant who is chair of Candi, said: “We are incredibly proud of our Sunday Men’s Team players, and the allyship they have shown. Sometimes solidarity requires a sacrifice, and while we’re sad to see them lose out on this opportunity, we’re grateful for their support and that of all of our players, sponsors, members and the wider community in taking this stance. “We want football to be a place for all, and we want those words to mean something. We hope this small gesture will spark positive change.” T

he London Football League, which arranges the fixtures Candi play, said it had postponed the fixture and said: “We prefer to await the conclusion of the FA investigation before offering our ­opinion on this matter.”

The Amateur FA chief executive, Jason Kilby, said they “take all reports of inappropriate behaviour seriously” and are “committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity amongst our workforce and throughout Amateur FA football”.

A Football Association spokesperson said: “We are working with the Amateur Football Alliance to support their investigation so that the appropriate steps can be taken. We strongly condemn all forms of misogyny, which has no place in football or wider society, and we will ensure action is taken against any club or individual that is found guilty of this behaviour. All allegations of this nature are taken very ­seriously and will not be tolerated in our game.”