A top U.S. sports discrimination lawyer said that British football may be reaching a "breaking point" over introducing a "Rooney Rule," according to Richard Conway of the BBC. Professor Jeremi Duru said that the debate was "moving in the right direction." Duru said "further steps" -- including legal action -- could be needed if there was "no progress." His comments come in the wake of EPL Blackpool Chairman Karl Oyston's criticism of its "possible introduction into the Football League." Duru, who works alongside Cyrus Mehri -- the man who "helped push
through the adoption of the Rooney rule in American football" in '02 -- is, however, "hopeful that a greater understanding by British team owners
of what the regulation exactly means will lead to change being
instigated without the need for legal recourse." Duru: "I think there's a place where we can get to that's
short of legal action, that can propel the conversation in the direction
where reforms are made." He added, "It's not about someone not having merit being hired. It is about
opening the door so people can get in the room and argue their merit.
That's all it is" (
BBC, 10/15).
