Black female football coach sues FA for race discrimination after KFC expense claims investigation

Christina Oshodi, a Black female football coach in the United Kingdom, has sued the Football Association (FA) for race discrimination after being investigated over her expense claims. 

According to The Daily Mail, Oshodi, who served as a County Coach Developer from 2015 to 2020, claimed expenses for meals from restaurants like Domino’s and KFC, and for household items such as cleaning products during her time working from home.

Oshodi argued that her expenses covered "culturally specific" food, stating that she "eats food of African origin." However, tribunal evidence showed that she also claimed for mainstream supermarket items like spaghetti and prawns. The FA’s payroll department raised concerns in 2018, leading to an internal investigation by HR.

In her defense, Oshodi said her manager, Andy Poole, permitted her to claim for supermarket food due to her cultural dietary requirements. However, this was rejected when no consistent pattern of specialized food purchases was found. The investigation did not result in disciplinary action, though it highlighted broader issues with FA expense claims.

Oshodi was later made redundant in 2020, citing COVID-related cuts. She brought claims of race discrimination and unfair dismissal to the employment tribunal. While one race discrimination claim was initially upheld due to comments from a colleague, it was dismissed for being submitted too late. Judge George Alliott ruled her dismissal was due to legitimate redundancy, stating, “The overwhelming majority of the food purchased by her was ordinary mainstream food.”

Oshodi’s claims of victimization and unfair dismissal were also dismissed. The judge concluded that her dismissal process had been fair, adding that she “failed on merit” during her application for alternative roles within the FA.