Keeping support positive on Sunday
From the official Chelsea FC website:
We are so excited to welcome you back to Stamford Bridge on Sunday for our first home game of the season.
It promises to be a fantastic match against Tottenham, and before it we would like to remind fans of their responsibilities in keeping support positive and being respectful.
Chelsea Football Club is proud of its inclusive and welcoming atmosphere at Stamford Bridge, and although we have seen much improvement in recent seasons, a small minority of Chelsea supporters have in the past tarnished this derby by using antisemitic chanting, noises and gestures, including the Y-word, offering the justification of opposition fans using those terms as a form of identity.
Our stance on this remains clear – there is no place for such behaviour at Chelsea Football Club, regardless of its use by fans of other clubs or its inclusion in the Oxford English Dictionary. Indeed, the dictionary’s own definition describes the Y-word as “derogatory and offensive”.
Chelsea officially adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism in January 2020, becoming the first sports team in the world to do so.
Discriminatory actions or language have no place anywhere in football or society, and everybody at Chelsea is proud to be part of a diverse club. Our players, staff, fans and visitors come from a wide range of backgrounds, including the Jewish community, and we want to ensure everyone feels safe, valued and included.
This season there are also new measures and stronger sanctions against offenders in place to tackle anti-social and criminal behaviours, such as entering the pitch without permission, carrying or using smoke bombs or pyrotechnics, and throwing objects – as well as drug use and discriminatory behaviour.
These acts are dangerous, illegal and have severe consequences. They have no place in football, or anywhere. At Chelsea we have long had a zero-tolerance approach to these forms of anti-social behaviour. All identified offenders will be reported to the police and prosecution could result in a permanent criminal record, which may affect their employment and education, and could result in a prison sentence.
We urge everybody to show their support in the right way and play their part in helping the Blues as we aim to start our home campaign with a victory on Sunday.
Supporters can report any discriminatory or antisocial behaviour either to a steward, text anonymously to 88777, or use the QR code on the back of seats. Please note the stand, row and seat number of the person, as well as their appearance, height and build. After the game, you can call 02073 863 355 or email reporthate@chelseafc.com. You can also report it to Kick It Out via their smartphone app.
‘Chelsea Supporters Group’ can also be found on Twitter and Facebook
