Wolves have been fined £100,000 by the Football Association in relation to homophobic chanting by a section of Wolves supporters during the home match against Chelsea in April.
In addition, the club has been issued with an Action Plan by the FA that will take immediate effect and will remain in place for the entirety of the 2023/24 season, which includes increasing awareness of unacceptable behaviour.
The punishment relates to the ‘Chelsea rent boy’ chant, which is defined as a homophobic slur and was made a prosecutable offence for anyone found to sing or use the words by the Crown Prosecution Service in January 2022, before the FA communicated to all its clubs its intention to pursue formal disciplinary action relating to the chant in January 2023.
The correspondence from the FA, dated 11th January 2023, said: “The Football Association now considers this specific chant to amount to a breach of FA Rules and reserve the right to pursue formal disciplinary action against any club whose supporters engage in such behaviour going forward.
“Clubs at all levels of English football have a responsibility to ensure their spectators conduct themselves in an orderly fashion when attending matches and we thank you for your assistance in relation to this matter.”
Today, a Wolves spokesperson said: “We accept the decision and punishment handed to us by the FA’s regulatory panel, and once again reiterate that homophobia, like all other forms of discrimination, has no place in football or society.
“Our ethos at Wolves is about being ‘One Pack’ – an attitude our supporters are very passionate about and that extends to our relationships across the football community, regardless of rivalries or what happens on the football pitch.
“Homophobic chanting is offensive and wholly unacceptable. Hearing discriminatory language negatively impacts peoples’ experiences of football and is also in direct opposition to the values of Wolves. Furthermore, it is a criminal offence, as illustrated by numerous prosecutions relating to the chant, one of which is a Wolves supporter in attendance at the match in question, resulting in a three-year football banning order and a fine issued by the Crown Prosecution Service.
“Ahead of the match against Chelsea, Wolves were aware of the possibility of discriminatory chants, and acted proactively by briefing staff and stewards on the FA’s letter and the CPS position on the ‘rent boy’ slur and reiterating the club’s matchday reporting procedure for a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of discrimination, harassment and victimisation relating to sex, gender, sexual orientation as well as religion or race and disability.
“However, despite the prominent visibility of the Not In Our Pack reporting text line, which can be found in our pre-match guide, in every concourse, on our perimeter LEDs and on the back of all tickets, there is an acceptance that there was no direct communications to supporters before the game specific to the ‘Chelsea rent boy’ chant, and its classification as a hate crime.
“In line with the FA’s Action Plan, Wolves will continue to make positive changes to matchday communications and continue its One Pack campaign, highlighting the fact that it operates a zero-tolerance policy towards discriminatory abuse of all kinds.
“We thank all supporters and staff who directly reported the chanting to stewards, as well as through the Not In Our Pack reporting text line, and encourage supporters to continue to report and call out discriminatory behaviour in all walks of life. Those who used the slur were committing a criminal act, and anyone subsequently identified and found guilty will face a lengthy stadium ban.
“We will continue to campaign for inclusivity in football and society and to tackle discriminatory abuse whether inside stadiums or online. Furthermore, Wolves will not cease in its work with supporters, communities and local stakeholders to drive LGBTQ+ inclusion and ensure the game we love is a place where everyone is respected and can feel safe playing or supporting their team.”
