Burnley take self-policing hate crime stance

Burnley have been subject to more reports of discriminatory behaviour during the last two campaigns

Burnley believe their self-policing approach has contributed to the 17 occasions the club were reported for hate crimes at matches during the last two seasons.

The Clarets were found to have been the subject of more reports for discriminatory behaviour than any other team in England or Wales during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 campaigns.

The data does not specify whether the reports were made by opposition supporters or fans of the team reported.

Burnley insists it will continue to encourage supporters to report any abuse they witness, whether committed by a fellow Clarets fan or anyone else.

“Burnley is aware of the figure highlighted in the data and believes the number of instances reported reflects the club’s pro-active stance on such issues,” a statement read.

“As a club, we operate a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of discrimination at Turf Moor and amongst our supporters at away matches.

“We actively encourage our supporters to report any relevant incidents, including those suspected from our own fans, which we believe is reflected by the number of reports made.

“Going back to 2016 we supported our former player, Andre Gray, who criticised two Burnley supporters for allegedly using racist comments in a match at Bradford.

“We will continue to encourage supporters to report alleged hate crimes and subsequently take the appropriate action as part of our ongoing commitment to making Turf Moor an all-inclusive place to watch football.”

0:48

Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope was shocked and sickened by the racial abuse his England team-mates received during their European Qualifier against Bulgaria

Manchester United, Sunderland and West Ham were the subject of 13 reports each.

United and Sunderland both also made the point that their supporters are encouraged to highlight any abuse they witness, even if it involves their own fans.

A United spokesperson said: “There is absolutely no place for discrimination within our game, or in society as a whole.

“We will continue to take strong action against anyone who we identify has engaged in racist or discriminatory abuse, either online or at our matches.

“Through our #allredallequal equality programme, we want to ensure that Old Trafford is an inclusive and welcoming environment and that Manchester United remains as a club open to all.”

0:52

Troy Deeney opens up about being subject to racist abuse online after Watford’s FA Cup semi-final win over Wolves last season, and discusses his club’s anti-racism campaign in partnership with Hertfordshire Police

A spokesperson for Sunderland said: “We pride ourselves on the Stadium of Light being an inclusive venue, where hundreds of thousands of people attend matches every season, in a safe and welcoming environment.

“Any incidents of discrimination, no matter how isolated, are simply not tolerated and working closely with supporters groups, we are proactive in encouraging our fans to report any such incidents.

“We work hand in hand with the police to ensure all evidence is passed to them so they can pursue criminal prosecutions wherever possible.

“In turn, we support this process with a very clear club sanction policy which has been discussed and agreed with our supporters’ representatives. The success of the very robust investigation process we have adopted is highlighted by these figures.”

Reports of incidents were submitted to the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) by police dedicated football officers (DFOs). These reports may be informed by information obtained from partner organisations such as the Football Association and Kick It Out.

3:44

Tyrone Mings says footballers could ‘act as pioneers’ in tackling racism after Bulgaria were punished for incidents in their European Qualifier against England

The anti-discrimination group released a statement which read: “The rise in discrimination is a challenge for all clubs, at all levels, across the country – as it is for the rest of society. To this extent, football mirrors society.

“Reporting mechanisms, such as club procedures and our Kick It Out app, as well as the communications around these, are gradually improving. So, an increase in reporting figures is to be expected.

“We continue to urge anyone who is a victim or witness of abuse to report it. We encourage clubs to continue building on the good work they have already done in creating effective reporting mechanisms.

“Currently, discrimination, diversity and inclusion data is fragmented across clubs, governing bodies, charities and law enforcement. Working together as a football community, we need to create more robust and comprehensive data to gain a more accurate picture of the problems and create more targeted solutions.”

1:45

Former Premier League striker Peter Odemwingie says footballers ‘need to be really brave’ and walk off the pitch to help combat racist abuse from supporters

Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts, National Police Chiefs’ Council Football Policing Lead, said: “Racism at football is a re-emerging problem, although I don’t think it’s ever truly gone away.

“It was controlled for a while and became socially unacceptable, but it is a real concern we have seen it creep back with such regularity into the national game.

“With reduced levels of policing on the ground, those committing this abhorrent behaviour do not have the immediate sanction of a police officer arresting them. When an officer is there and can take this action, it highlights to the crowd there are consequences to this behaviour and acts as a wider deterrent.

“More needs to be done to tackle this issue, including more education. It’s great high-profile footballers are taking a positive stand to say ‘this is unacceptable’, but we need more from the fans groups, clubs and associations to make clear this behaviour has no place in football or wider society.”