• FA asks for observations from Moyes, who says he ‘deeply regrets’ behaviour • Sunderland say manager spoke to BBC’s Vicki Sparks and resolved matter

The Football Association has written to the Sunderland manager, David Moyes, asking for his “observations” about the sexist remark he made to a female BBC reporter, before deciding whether to take disciplinary action against him. Moyes was widely criticised, including by Labour’s shadow sports minister Rosena Allin-Khan, the professional campaign group Women in Football and the domestic abuse charity Wearside Women in Need when film emerged of him telling Vicki Sparks after a post-match interview last month that she might “get a slap”.

Moyes and the BBC said he had apologised to Sparks, who had accepted the apology, and Moyes made further expressions of regret in his press conference before Tuesday’s Premier League match at Leicester City.

Moyes had made the remark following Sunderland’s 0-0 draw with Burnley on 18 March, after Sparks, who works for BBC Newcastle and Radio 5 Live, asked whether he felt under more pressure that day because the club’s owner, Ellis Short, was watching his relegation-threatened side.

On air, Moyes replied: “No, none at all.” Then, when the interview was concluded but, unknown to Moyes, a camera was still recording, he said to Sparks: “You were just getting a wee bit naughty at the end there, so just watch yourself. You still might get a slap, even though you’re a woman. Careful the next time you come in.”

Moyes’ tone was jokey and Sparks was heard laughing along with him, but there was immediate widespread condemnation of the episode, including by the BBC’s Match of the Day presenter and former England striker Gary Lineker, who tweeted: “Moyes incident highlights a tendency for some managers to treat interviewers with utter disdain. Pressured job. Well rewarded. Inexcusable.”

Allin-Khan, also on Twitter, called on the FA to discipline Moyes, saying: “David Moyes cannot get away with these sexist threats – the FA must take action immediately.”

The sports minister, Tracey Crouch, was on a day off work on Monday and did not comment on the escalating condemnation of Moyes.

Wearside Women in Need, which provides advice, support and practical assistance for victims of domestic violence in the Sunderland area and is campaigning against cuts to the local authority budget, also criticised Moyes and called for action by the FA. Clare Philippson, director of the charity, said: “I think the FA have to look into it. It is for the FA to set a clear standard about what they think is acceptable. It was dreadful, absolutely appalling. This is a woman, in a very small minority of sports journalists, trying to go about her job and being threatened. It’s the sort of thing you expect down the local pub, not the kind of thing you get from a professional football manager.”

Women in Football, a group of professionals working in clubs, the media and other diverse roles in the sport, which has repeatedly highlighted sexism, issued a statement. “We are deeply disappointed and concerned by the threatening language used by Sunderland manager David Moyes towards BBC reporter Vicki Sparks. We are calling on the FA to help educate football managers against this type of behaviour.”

By mid-afternoon an FA spokesman had confirmed its disciplinary department was looking into the episode and considering whether to take action under football rules which prohibit racist, sexist, homophobic and other discriminatory or abusive conduct.

“The FA’s governance department has written to Sunderland to seek observations from David Moyes about these remarks,” the spokesman said. The FA expects a replyfrom Moyes before the end of this week and a decision will then be taken about whether to bring any disciplinary proceedings.

At Monday’s press conference Moyes faced up to extended questioning about his remark, explaining that he had apologised to Sparks and had let Short and Martin Bain, the Sunderland chief executive, know what he had said shortly afterwards. Sunderland are not expected to take any action themselves.

“In the heat of the moment I made a mistake in my comments to a BBC reporter which I profoundly regret,” Moyes told the media. “I was disappointed with myself for it. I subsequently phoned the reporter and apologised, which she accepted. It’s not in my character, it’s not my type, as most people know, and once again I apologise for it.”

Moyes insisted he is not sexist, saying that he had always supported women’s football divisions at his previous clubs Everton and Manchester United, and that his daughter played football for Preston North End until she was 19.

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