Teenage Bournemouth fan handed 3-year stadium ban for racism
A 17-year-old Bournemouth supporter was banned from attending football matches for three years on Tuesday after he plead guilty to racist abuse.
The fan partook in indecent/racial chanting during the Cherries' 3-2 loss at Tottenham Hotspur in November, the Metropolitan police told PA Media. He was trialed at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court, where he was additionally dealt a £55 fine with a £21 surcharge.
"We take all reports of racism very seriously, and as this case demonstrates, will take robust action against those who are found to have committed these kinds of crimes during football matches," Inspector Matt Ashmead, a member of the Met's public order investigation team, said.
"The vast majority of fans obey the law and neither they nor the players should have to listen to any kind of abuse. We are committed to working closely with clubs to identify anyone acting against the law and would ask anyone who sees or hears this type of behavior to come forward to stewards or police."
In December, the official spokesperson of the United Kingdom's prime minister, Boris Johnson, said the government would step in if it felt football authorities weren't doing enough in the fight against racism. There have been numerous incidents throughout the 2019-20 campaign, including an FA Cup tie between Haringey Borough and Yeovil Town that was abandoned due to vile slurs in the stands and alleged abuse of Paul Pogba, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger, and others during Premier League fixtures and/or on social media.
"Racism of any kind has no place in football or anywhere else and we must confront this vile behavior," the statement from Downing Street read. "Clearly, there remains more work to be done by the football authorities in tackling this issue and we are committed to working with them on this to stamp it out.
"The FA, Premier League, and English Football League have significantly stepped up their efforts, but we expect them to continue to prioritize this issue and to consult with both players and supporter groups, and we will be monitoring how the football authorities implement their plans through the season."