Hull fined £30k & bans issued over Chelsea chant

What the report says

Hull City have been fined £30,000 after the Football Association found the club failed to prevent discriminatory chanting during their 4-0 FA Cup defeat by Chelsea at the MKM Stadium in February, according to BBC Sport Football. The club said it had also issued three supporter bans, each lasting a minimum of three years, in response to the incident.

BBC Sport reported that spectators were repeatedly warned during the match to stop the chants, including through announcements over the public address system and messages on screens. Three people were arrested at the game on suspicion of homophobic chanting. The club said the language involved is understood as a homophobic slur and warned that similar behaviour could lead to arrest and criminal charges.

The FA charged Hull with failing to ensure supporters did not use offensive language referencing sexual orientation, and the club accepted the charge, resulting in the fine. Hull also used the ruling to remind fans that discrimination of any kind is not acceptable, particularly ahead of the teams’ Premier League meeting at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

The case highlights ongoing efforts by football authorities and clubs to tackle abusive chanting at matches. BBC Sport noted that a fan group had previously described the chanting as a stain on the game.