Kick It Out’s Troy Townsend has issued an apology to Jonathan Leko, after the young forward criticised the PFA and anti-racism bodies for their lack of support throughout his racism case against Kiko Casilla.

Leeds goalkeeper Casilla was found to have used racist language towards West Brom forward Leko, who was then playing on loan for Charlton, during a Championship match on September 28.

Casilla was handed an eight-match ban by the FA on Friday, but in a personal statement Leko said: “I have been disappointed with the amount of time it has taken to reach this point.

GETTY 2 Leko was on loan at Charlton when he was racially abused by Leeds’ Casilla

“It was 22 weeks between the incident and the hearing during which I had minimal contact from the PFA, of which I am a member, and no contact in the way of support from leading anti-racism bodies such as ‘Kick It Out’ and ‘Show Racism The Red Card’.

“Some support or guidance would have been very welcome.”

Townsend, Kick It Out’s head of development, has insisted he DID attempt to make contact with the 20-year-old, but his message clearly didn’t get through.

However, he admits that is not an excuse, as he could have contacted him personally later on when he heard no reply.

And the anti-racism campaigner says he is ‘gutted’ to have let the young player down.

“I just want to put on record and be totally honest about how gutted I am for Jonathan Leko,” he said in an interview with talkSPORT host Jim White.

“To have to write that through the lack of support, it absolutely guts me. I’m not sure if it does enough people, if I’m totally honest, but it absolutely guts me.

“I feel like I’ve let him down.”

Townsend explained that he did attempt to make contact with Leko through the correct channels, as procedure demands, but his message must not have been delivered to him.

“I have to follow a process when situations like this happen, and I followed that process,” he said.

“I reached out to Jonathan through two members of the football club he was representing at the time and I’ve got to take their word as gospel that the message will get to Jonathan and if he needed support, they would direct him to me.”

Jim White: “But Jonathan says he didn’t get that support, Troy, so where were you in all of this?”

Townsend replied: “That means, then, that the breakdown in communication is not from my side, it’s from the club’s side.

“But I don’t want to make excuses, I’m happy for the buck stopping with me, because ultimately there are other ways you can contact an individual.

“We try to be respectful in this game, we try and do the right thing by the clubs and the players by following the correct process, and that correct process has let Jonathan Leko down.

“If I’m part of that process, then of course I’ve let him down.

Getty Images - Getty 2 Casilla was also fined £60,000 and ordered to attend face-to-face education after being found to have racially abused Leko

“I don’t think people are hurting as I am this morning for actually letting Jonathan Leko down. That’s the problem, people don’t care enough in the game about players’ wellbeing.

“I’m hurting, whether people believe it or not, for the fact he’s had to go through what he went through, for the length of time he has gone through it and the fact he felt the need, and quite rightly, to send out that strong statement yesterday.

“There’s absolutely no defence. I’m sorry.”

Listen to talkSPORT’s interview with Tony Townsend in full above