Chelsea say the Football Association announcement warning golf equipment they may now face disciplinary motion if their followers sing the ‘rent boy’ chant is “a step in the right direction”.
The FA has at all times condemned using the homophobic time period – which is predominantly geared toward Chelsea, their gamers and their supporters – however till this week has by no means felt capable of cost golf equipment whose followers chant it.
That modified when the FA discovered of the conviction of a Liverpool fan final month for utilizing that particular time period, and so forth Wednesday it wrote to golf equipment warning they may now be penalised.
Chelsea welcomed the transfer and added: “The ‘rent boy’ chant is intolerable and has no place in football or anywhere else.
“That opposition clubs can now face disciplinary action if their supporters engage in this discriminatory and offensive behaviour is a step in the right direction. Everyone who chooses to participate in this chant must know their actions have consequences.
“Alongside our No To Hate campaign, we will continue to work with the FA, the CPS, opposition clubs, and our own LGBTQI+ supporter group Chelsea Pride in the pursuit of positive change. There is plenty more work to be done, but we won’t rest until football is a game where everyone feels welcome.”
The Crown Prosecution Service classed using the time period as a hate crime in the beginning of final 12 months, but it surely took the conviction of Reds fan Paul Boardman in December for the FA place to alter. Boardman was heard chanting the offensive time period on his strategy to Wembley for final season’s FA Cup remaining in opposition to Chelsea and refused entry to the match.
The FA had already been investigating three circumstances the place the mantra was heard at matches performed this month previous to Wednesday’s announcement.
Two of these concerned matches performed by Chelsea – their league sport away to Nottingham Forest on New Year’s Day and their FA Cup sport away at Manchester City – and the opposite was the FA Cup tie between Manchester United and Everton, the place the mantra was focused at Everton supervisor Frank Lampard, a former Chelsea participant and supervisor.
