Boston United Football Club has incurred a £700 fine in the wake of a homophobic chanting incident during a home fixture against Woking in March. The Football Association (FA) established that this event constituted a violation of rule E21 – a regulation which bans any improper, offensive or insulting language in relation to sexual orientation.
David Newton, Boston United’s chairman, in reaction to this ruling, has requested fan assistance in ushering out such behaviour from spectators. The club has firmly voiced its condemnation of the discriminatory chant and reaffirmed its pledge to no tolerance of prejudiced practices at either home or away games.
Newton emphasised that the club is now following an FA-issued action plan to help prevent incidents of this nature in future. He pointed out that past instances, such as racial abuse levelled at a player by a visiting supporter, are entirely reprehensible.
Though the club has stringent procedures in place, actualising the FA’s action plan has necessitated significant resources. Newton relayed a warning that subsequent violations could lead to more severe sanctions, underscoring the significance of the club maintaining a positive image and making a plea for supportive, respectful behaviour from fans.
This narrative has been adapted by The Lincoln Post from the original report on www.bbc.com.
