Football fans who engage in racist abuse online will be banned from going to live games, Boris Johnson has announced.
The Prime Minister revealed the Government will change football banning orders to cover online racism.
It comes just days after England football players were subjected to a torrent of abuse on social media after their Euro 2020 final defeat.
Fielding a series of questions on the issue of racism on football during Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Johnson told the Commons: “I utterly condemn and abhor the racist outpourings that we saw on Sunday night.”
“So what we are doing is taking practical steps to ensure that the football banning regime is changed so that if you are guilty of racist abuse online on football, then you will not be going to the match.
“No ifs, no buts, no exemptions, no excuses.”
His comments came as Mr Johnson faced a string of difficult questions from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer over his refusal to call out England fans who booed the team for taking the knee.
Sir Keir highlighted the “disgusting” racist abuse aimed at England players, adding: “Either the Prime Minister is with the England players in their stand against racism or he can defend his own record, those ministers and some of his MPs – but he can’t have it both ways.
“So can he tell the House, does he now regret failing to condemn those who booed England players for standing up to racism – yes or no?”
The Prime Minister replied: “We made it absolutely clear that no-one should boo the England team.”
This is despite the Home Secretary Priti Patel refusing before the tournament began that it was “up to them” whether fans should jeer the players.
The Government’s decision to extend football banning orders comes after a petition to permanently ban racists from games passed a million signatures in just two days.
Football fans Shaista Aziz, Amna Abdullatif and Huda Jawad created the petition on Monday in response to racist abuse aimed at England footballers Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho after the Three Lions’ Euro 2020 final defeat.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/2VvQlYn
Post a Comment