Sacked English football fan who took sick leave to watch Euro semi-final now a pundit
Tuesday, 13 Jul 2021 02:49 PM MYTBY SYLVIA LOOI
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KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 — An English football fan who was sacked after taking sick leave to watch the Euro 2020 semi-final in the stadium has been offered a new job as a football pundit for Pizza Express.
The Sun reported that the UK restaurant group has recruited Nina Farooqi to provide commentary on their social media channels.
Pizza Express Chief Customer Officer Shadi Halliwell said the 37-year-old Farooqi would deliver a “running commentary with a difference”.
“When we saw that avid football fan, Nina, pulled a sickie for the big semi-final she had our complete respect,” said Halliwell.
“We knew we wanted her to be part of our own line-up somehow and that’s when we developed our own ‘PizzaExpress Pundit”.”
Farooqi lost her job after she was caught on camera celebrating Harry Kane’s winning goal during England’s victory over Denmark.
The digital content producer told the fib after her friend won last-minute tickets in a ballot that saw them sitting behind the goal post.
She was, however, struck off by composite decking company Composite Prime for skiving off after being plastered over televisions around the world.
Farooqi, from Ilkley, West Yorkshire, had taken the 6am train to return to West Yorkshire after attending the match.
Her employer saw she was at the game and “I didn’t get any sympathy at all and they said that’s it.
“That’s their call and the consequence of what I did.”
While she was a bit regretful over the incident, Farooqi said she would do it all over again.
“I would have hated the regret of missing out (the match).”
Composite Prime director Charles Taylor said while it was an exciting time for everyone in England and given the opportunity, they would have encouraged attendance to such an important football match.
“Unfortunately, on this occasion our employee lied, taking one day off sick to attend the football match on Wednesday, July 7.
“This was in breach of her employment contract and so we had no choice but to take the appropriate action.
“As a business we value honesty and integrity, and we don’t tolerate any employee taking advantage of our policies.
