Eni Aluko has stepped back from hosting duties at the Women’s Football Awards amid roiling tension over comments made by the former professional about Arsenal legend Ian Wright.
Aluko initially accused Wright – who she has served alongside as a co-pundit on a number of occasions – of ‘blocking opportunities for women’ in women’s football during an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour.
After facing an immediate wave of backlash for her comments, the former Chelsea star rowed back her comments and issued a public apology to Wright.
But the former Gunner opted not to accept the apology during an impassioned video message shared on Instagram.
Wright called for the public to ‘move on’ from the incident, but the controversy has shown no signs of slowing, with the pair’s employer ITV the latest to weigh in with a strong statement in support of the 61-year-old.
Against this backdrop, Aluko announced that she will take a step back from her role as host at the end-of-season awards on Thursday.
Aluko was due to take to the stage alongside Gabby Logan and Jamie Carragher at the London ceremony, but in a statement shared on Tuesday, she admitted she did not want her place in the news cycle to ‘deflect’ from the festivities.
‘The Women’s Football Awards hold a special place in my heart,’ Aluko’s statement began. ‘It was the first time an event of this scale was created solely to celebrate the incredible achievements in women’s football, and I’m so proud to have been part of it since the beginning.’
‘However, I’ve decided to take a step back from being part of the hosting lineup this year. I don’t want anything to deflect from the joy, recognition, and celebration that this event is all about.
‘This event belongs to the players, coaches, fans, and everyone who has worked tirelessly to elevate the women’s game.’
‘The awards will be hosted in the very capable hands of Gabby Logan and Jamie Carragher, who I know will bring their passion and energy to the stage. I love women’s football deeply, I’m proud of how far we’ve come, and I’ll absolutely be back involved in the future.’
Aluko’s photograph has since been removed from the event’s publicity material, which now features only Logan and Carragher.
Mail Sport reported on Thursday that Aluko’s position at ITV was under scrutiny amid the fallout from her comments, which came during an appearance where she also claimed that her punditry career had been damaged by ex-Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton, who she’s suing for libel, after he dubbed her a ‘race card player’ on social media in January last year.
She had also said that ITV continuing to employ Wright to cover the women’s game hampered the chances of female pundits coming into the industry.