The English FA has fined Premier League club, Hull City, £30,000 over fans discriminatory chants aimed at Chelsea fans during an FA Cup tie involving both sides last campaign.
The FA issued the sanction in a released statement expressing displeasure over the homophobic chanting by the club’s fans chants, attributing the behaviour as improper, abusive and a disregard to the league laws and a disrepute to the game.
The announcement on Friday stated that the chants came during Hull City’s 4-0 loss to Chelsea in February, and stating that the club failed to ensure that its fans act in proper conduct, as well as cautioning the spectators to desist from engaging in the act when they face the London side in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
The club management, in response disclosed that three of its supporters have been banned from the stadium for a minimum of three years, adding that it condemns the act in the strongest possible terms.
”Hull City condemns the offensive and inappropriate language used by the supporters responsible,” a statement by The Tigers reads in extract.
”The chant in question is recognised as a homophobic slur and its use may constitute a hate crime.”
It warned that those who indulge in the act would be arrested and prosecuted with criminal charges, and added, ”Ahead of Saturday’s trip to Stamford Bridge, the club reminds all supporters that discriminatory of any kind is wholly unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”