The English football authorities are introducing a series of measures to help improve the behaviour of players, managers and coaches across the professional, National League system and grassroots game, as well as addressing the issue of football tragedy abuse.
Participant behaviour measures includes where match officials are confronted, surrounded or their personal space invaded by multiple players, at least one player will receive a card. The FA could also take further action against the club.
Fan Behaviour
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 Crown Prosecution Service, have united to crack down on fans who participate in this vile form of abuse.
Joe Blott, FSA National Council member: “The FSA welcomes the work that has been done to address the growing concern about football tragedy abuse. Vital to its success will be education and the role supporters have in developing empathy and understanding, talking about the negative and harmful impacts, but so too is recognition of consequences for supporters who continue to participate in such behaviour.
“Supporters have a long track record of policing ourselves so it’s vital that we show real leadership and demonstrate our opposition to tragedy chants, gestures and slurs at all grounds and on social media. Lets Keep the passion and lose the poison.”
It is therefore dis-appointing to see the tweet from Leicester Police after today’s game that “Unfortunately 5 away arrests during the match for 2x public order offences (helicopter gestures) 2x racially aggravated offences and 1x missile throwing.”
Full details on the initiative are available here Football unites to improve participant & fan behaviour – 2023-24 – Football Supporters’ Association (thefsa.org.uk)