The Football Association has prohibited a former general practitioner from officiating football matches after he was struck off the medical register for serious professional misconduct. David Cartland, an anti-vaccination advocate, has been banned by both the Cornwall Football Association and the Disclosure and Barring Service, preventing him from working with children or vulnerable adults.
DBS and FA Restrictions Imposed
Mr Cartland, who has over 300,000 followers on social media platform X, announced the decisions publicly, stating they prevent him from even driving his neighbour's children to football matches. The DBS placed him on both the Adults' Barred List and Children's Barred List, citing safeguarding concerns stemming from his online behaviour.
The FA confirmed that anyone barred from regulated activities with children cannot referee football involving under-18s, as this constitutes regulated activity. Their statement clarified that while the restriction primarily affects children's football, bans stemming from convictions that lead to football banning orders may also restrict participation in adult matches.
Background of Medical Tribunal Findings
Last year, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service conducted 17 days of hearings that resulted in Mr Cartland's removal from the General Medical Council register. The tribunal substantiated 17 allegations against him, including harassment of medical professionals across multiple social media platforms.
The tribunal found that Mr Cartland had created an X account using another doctor's identity, threatened a doctor who reported him to the GMC, and shared posts driven by hostility toward the LGBTQ+ community. He was also found to have offered Covid exemption certificates via WhatsApp, intending to create false medical records.
Cartland's Response and Appeals
In numerous social media posts, Mr Cartland has vowed to appeal both the DBS and FA decisions, arguing that no crimes were committed and no allegations of harm to children or vulnerable adults were made during his tribunal. He questioned why the ban extends to veteran, super veteran, and open age football, which he claims are not regulated activities.
"The reason I referee is more than just a hobby. It's a passion," he wrote on March 2. "In my playing career of over 32 years I never received a single yellow card sanction. I've refereed over 100 games since."
Support from Medical Groups
Mr Cartland has received backing from several medical organizations sharing his views, including the Children's Covid Vaccines Advisory Council, Doctors for Patients UK, Health Advisory and Recovery Team UK, and Medical Freedom Alliance. In an open letter to DBS and FA officials, they described the decisions as "a complete travesty of justice" and "gross overreaction."
The groups argued that refereeing doesn't involve unsupervised contact with children or vulnerable adults and that spectators are never screened for DBS status, suggesting Mr Cartland is being singled out for punitive measures.
Ongoing Legal Challenges
Mr Cartland maintains he is the victim of a smear campaign due to his anti-vaccination stance and other opinions. He has confirmed he is challenging the DBS ruling and FA ban through legal channels, disputing the tribunal's late reference to him posing a risk to children as "untrue" and "unevidenced."
Both the DBS and FA have declined to comment on the matter publicly. The former doctor, from the Penzance area, continues to assert on his website that he remains "still a doctor, still knowledgeable, still ethical, still compassionate" despite being struck off the medical register.
