KICK IT OUT Racist football fans who troll players to be banned from matches for 10 YEARS after Euros 2020 shame

RACIST football fans who troll players will be banned from matches in England and Wales for up to 10 years under Government plans.

Posted Friday, January 14, 2022 by Thesun.co.uk

Home Secretary Priti Patel wants to extend the scope of football banning orders, which can already be imposed on people convicted of violence, disorder and racist or homophobic chanting, to also cover online hate offences.

KICK IT OUT Racist football fans who troll players to be banned from matches for 10 YEARS after Euros 2020 shame
Marcus Rashford was one of the England players to receive vile racist abuse Credit: Reuters

KICK IT OUT Racist football fans who troll players to be banned from matches for 10 YEARS after Euros 2020 shame
Priti Patel said the beautiful game had been 'marred by disgraceful racism from online trolls' Credit: Rex

KICK IT OUT Racist football fans who troll players to be banned from matches for 10 YEARS after Euros 2020 shame
England heroes Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka were the victims of disgusting abuse

The move, first announced last year, comes after England footballers Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were subject to racist abuse after missing penalties in last summer's Euro 2020 final.

The law is expected to be introduced as an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.

Ms Patel said: "This summer we saw the beautiful game marred by disgraceful racism from online trolls, who hid behind their keyboards and abused our footballers.

"Racism is unacceptable and for too long football has been marred by this shameful prejudice.

"Those responsible for appalling racist abuse online must be punished.

“The changes to the law I am announcing will make sure they are banned from attending football matches."

Football banning orders bar the individual from going to regulated football matches for 3 to 10 years.

There are 1,359 orders in force across England and Wales, according to the latest Home Office figures.

It comes after a petition in July 2021 gained a million signatures in just two days demanding vile trolls be barred from games as punishment.

Fans rallied round three black England stars who were sent sick messages and monkey emojis on social media after their penalty misses at the Euro 2020 final.

Following a 12-week consultation Prime Minister Boris Johnson told PMQs last year: "What we're doing is today taking practical steps to ensure that the football batting order regime is changed.

"So that if you are guilty of speaking racist views online you will not be going to the match, no ifs, no buts, no exceptions, no excuses."

There was a huge national response after Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho were targeted online Credit: Getty

KICK IT OUT Racist football fans who troll players to be banned from matches for 10 YEARS after Euros 2020 shame
Mason Mount and Declan Rice take the knee before England's Group D match against Croatia Credit: Getty