FA publish new charging policies for incidents of discrimination

LODON: The Football Association has published new charging policies and sanctioning guidelines for discrimination by individual participants and spectators ahead of the 2020-21 season – which could see full stadium closures at clubs whose fans repeat offences.

The governing body undertook a detailed consultation process with focus groups and stakeholders including football’s equality and inclusion organisation Kick It Out, the Professional Footballers’ Association, the League Managers’ Association as well as various representatives from both clubs and leagues.

Under the new policies, and in a move which was agreed by football’s stakeholders, if an incident of discrimination by an individual took place in private or outside of a standard football setting, there is now no longer any barrier to the FA opening proceedings.

The guidelines recommend match-based sanctions of six to 12 games for the regulatory commissions, which the FA believe allows greater scope for cases to be sanctioned appropriately and consistently based on their individual circumstances and seriousness.

There will also be flexibility for the “rare circumstances where the range of six to 12 games could lead to unfair outcomes”, so a sanction below the minimum can be imposed where an offence is “in writing only or via any communication device” and another specific mitigating factor is present.

Any decision, though, must be in the best interests of anti-discrimination in football and “the absolute minimum match-based sanction in such cases will be three games”. The FA does not hold jurisdiction over individual spectators, unless they are also participants in football.

However, in the new guidelines, any action for discriminatory behaviour will be taken against a club for the behaviour of spectators and all allegations of discriminatory behaviour will be investigated by the governing body.

Where there is clear evidence of discriminatory chanting by a group of supporters, the FA will act against the relevant club and recommend an ‘action plan’ is imposed for a first offence. These could include the implementation of “practical and measurable improvements” to match-day operations which in some situations can come at a significant financial cost to offending clubs.