Premier League fans could be banned for tragedy chants under new law
The English FA has cracked down on a recent surge of chants about tragedies. From this season, fans could now be arrested and banned for tragedy abuse.
The English FA has moved to curb a surge in football chants about sporting disasters by rival supporters at stadiums primarily in the Premier League. From the 2023/24 season, fans who are found guilty of football tragedy abuse face arrest and could face life-time bans. Football chants about sporting events which involved great loss of life such as the 1958 Munich air disaster and 1989 Hillsborough tragedy is not a new phenomenon - but abuse has been on the rise over the past few seasons. Among the theories for that, is the popularity of social media, where abuse is allowed to thrive - another being that the new generation of fans are so far removed from those tragic events that they cannot begin to understand the horrors that unfolded or the grief of the aftermath.
The FA has implemented crackdown on offensive ‘tragedy chanting’ which includes offensive gesturing and displaying offensive messaging which could cause distress to the victims’ families, survivors and affected-club supporters’.
FA statement
“To challenge the totally unacceptable presence of football tragedy abuse, for season 2023-24, regulation changes and tough new measures have been introduced which will see people who are found to have committed offences face stadium bans and potential criminal prosecution.
“The issue is focused on offensive chanting, gesturing and displaying offensive messages based on football-related tragedies, which causes significant distress to the victims’ families, survivors and affected-club supporters. Football authorities, supporter groups and law enforcement organisations, including the police and CPS, have united to crack down on fans who participate in this vile form of abuse.
“In addition to bans and criminal sanctions, a range of in-stadium, in-classroom and online resources will be rolled out under the ‘Love Football. Protect the Game’ banner, to educate adults and children alike about the hurt tragedy chanting causes. Ground regulations have also been updated to incorporate references to tragedy chanting.
“The game will also continue its efforts to combat dangerous, illegal and unwelcome behaviour off the pitch, be it in the stands or online. Last season a host of new measures were introduced by authorities which saw enhanced sanctions applied for people identified entering the pitch, using pyros, taking drugs to games, throwing objects or for discriminatory abuse”.