West Ham United have been formally charged by the Football Association following allegations of homophobic chanting by their supporters during their 2-1 defeat against Chelsea last month.
The FA has accused the club of misconduct, stating that West Ham failed to prevent their fans from engaging in behavior deemed “improper, offensive, abusive, indecent or insulting” with reference to sexual orientation. The incident took place during the match on Monday, 3 February.
Club condemns discriminatory behavior
In response to the allegations, West Ham released a statement in the days following the match, strongly denouncing the behavior of some of their supporters. The club made it clear that discriminatory and homophobic chants directed at opposition fans are completely unacceptable.
The statement also emphasized that such conduct has no place in football or society and reiterated that engaging in this type of behavior is a criminal act.
Deadline set for West Ham’s response
West Ham have been given until Tuesday, 1 April to respond to the FA’s charge. The governing body will review the club’s reply before deciding on any further action.
The FA has taken a firm stance on discriminatory behavior in football, with clubs expected to take responsibility for ensuring their fans adhere to proper conduct at matches.
