Football.London have revealed that a Chelsea fan has been handed a three-year ban from football after making a racist gesture towards Son Heung-min last Saturday.
The incident occurred during Tottenham’s 2-0 win against Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Son came on as a substitute in place of Dejan Kulusevski in the 79th minute.
A fan made a racist gesture at the South Korean as he was going over to take a corner, with footage of the incident being captured and shared on social media.
Chelsea were able to identify the perpetrator and the 30-year-old, who admitted to the police that he had made the gesture, has been hit with a £726 fine from the City of London Magistrates Court, as well as a three-year ban from all football grounds in the country.
Senior Crown Prosecutor, Kalsoom Shah encouraged those who witness any sort of discriminatory incidents at stadiums, to report it to the authorities.
He said: “Football is a passionate sport but racist abuse will never be allowed to mar the game.
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“We know people who are responsible for these actions are part of a small minority and we will continue to encourage anyone who sees or experiences this kind of behaviour to report it to the police and help us rid football of racism.”
Lionel Idan, Chief Crown Prosecutor for London South and national hate crime lead said about the incident: “The CPS has made it clear that all forms of hate crime will not be tolerated whether within or outside a football ground.
“Where our legal test is met, we will not hesitate to take people to court and seek harsher sentences so that justice is served.
“Racist gestures and abuse are not just hurtful, they prevent other fans and players from enjoying the sport and cause real damage to the heart of the game.
“The CPS continues to play a crucial role in tackling such crimes and making our national game inclusive and safe for all to watch and play.”
Spurs Web Opinion
It is extremely disappointing that these sorts of incidents still go on in 2023 but Chelsea and the authorities deserve credit for quickly identifying the perpetrator involved and delivering swift justice.
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