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THE FA.COM

The following notice has been sent to the Premier League, Football League, National
League, Isthmian league, Northern Premier League and Southern League clubs.
DISCRIMINATORY CHANTING

All clubs were advised in August 2014 of a change to FA Rule E21 affecting FA Rule E20 cases, which
are proven to be discriminatory in nature. You are reminded that, as a result of this rule change, if a
club’s supporters should commit discriminatory acts at a football match, and The FA issues a disciplinary
charge, the matter is one of strict liability should the alleged conduct be found to have occurred.

With 2014/15 being the first season since the rule change, The FA has carefully monitored any reported
incidents during 2014/15. This monitoring process has revealed that there were a small number of
reported instances of discriminatory conduct by supporters which in other circumstances may have
resulted in an E20 charge.
In particular, clubs should be aware that the discriminatory conduct complained of, tended to refer to the
behaviour of a relatively significant number of supporters which resulted in such chants and/or songs
being audible to a large number of people. Discriminatory chanting referenced a number of the protected
characteristics, such as sex, disability and sexual orientation.
Following a general review of such cases, The FA has issued a number of formal warnings to the clubs
concerned. However, going forward, The FA wishes to make it explicit to all that clubs should be
aware that from this coming season, reported acts of discriminatory conduct by a club’s
supporters, including the type of examples referred to above, are highly likely to lead to formal
disciplinary action under the FA Rule E20.
In light of the above, we strongly urge clubs to continue to be proactive in taking all necessary steps to
eradicate such behaviour from our football stadia. Guidance on dealing with discriminatory chanting is
available in “Crowd Management: The FA Good Practice Guide”, which has been circulated to clubs and
is also available via the following link underneath the “Resources” section.

www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/more/stadium-safety.
As a guide to clubs, this is the following criteria that will be applied by The FA when dealing with the type
of cases set out below.
E20 cases (Discriminatory crowd matters)

FA Rule E20: (p.126 Handbook)
Each Affiliated Association, Competition and Club shall be responsible for ensuring:
That its directors, players, officials, employees, servants, representatives, spectators, and all persons
purporting to be its supporters or followers, conduct themselves in an orderly fashion and refrain from
any one, or combination of, the following:
Racist, violent, threatening, abusive, obscene or provocative behaviour, conduct or language, whilst
attending at, or taking part in a Match in which it is involved, whether on its own ground or elsewhere.

Chris Walley
Senior Manager, Stadia safety & Security