This is worth a read for those that have any doubts.
Approximately in the 44th minute into the game, a group of around 150-200 Linfield supporters in the North Stand, Block N started chanting: “No, No Pope of Rome, No Chapels to sadden my eyes (Thank %^*&!) No Nuns and no Priests, No rosary beads. Every day is the 12th of July.” The chanting was repeated 3 times, lasting for about 45 seconds total. The chant also reoccurred at 22.31 in the 41st minute of the second half. Approximately in the 65th minute into the game a group of around 150 Linfield fans in the North Stand, Block N started chanting: “Why don’t you go home? Who don’t you go home? The famine’s over. Why don’t you go home?” Approximately in the 44th minute into the game, a group of around 300-400 Linfield supporters in the North Stand, Block N started chanting: “If you hate the 19th Century Terrorist bastards clap your hands. If you really fucking hate them, really fucking hate them Really fucking hate them clap your hands” Immediately following the final whistle of the second half, a group of around 300-400 Linfield supporters in the North Stand, Block N started chanting “Hello hello, we are the Billy Boys. Hello, hello, you’ll know us by our noise. We’re up to our knees in 19th Century Terrorist blood. Surrender or you’ll die For we are the Brigton Derry Boys”.
Legal framework Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations.
Decision The Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body, decided to order the partial closure of the Linfield FC Stadium during the next UEFA competition match in which Linfield FC would play as the host club.
Chairman:
Vice-Chairmen:
Members:
Partl Thomas (AUT)
Berzi Sándor (HUN)
Hansen Jim Stjerne (DEN)
Antenen Jacques (SUI)
Bonett Chris (MLT)
Gea Tomás (AND)
Řepka Rudolf (CZE) Wolff Joël (LUX)
I.
1.
Facts Of The Case The elements set out below are a summary of the main relevant facts, as established by the Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on the basis of the official reports, the written
submissions, the exhibits filed and the statements produced in the course of the Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body proceedings. While this UEFA disciplinary body has considered all the facts, allegations, legal arguments and evidence submitted by the club in these proceedings, it refers in the present decision only to the submi ssions and evidence it considers necessary to explain its reasoning.
2. Briefly, the most relevant facts follows:
as stated by the FARE report can be summarized as
- Approximately in the 44th minute into the game, a group of around 150200 Linfield supporters in the North Stand, Block N started chanting:
“No, No Pope of Rome, No Chapels to sadden my eyes (Thank %^*&!) No Nuns and no Priests, No rosary beads Every day is the 12th of July.”
- The chanting was repeated 3 times, lasting for about 45 seconds total. The chant also reoccurred at 22.31 in the 41st minute of second half.
- Approximately in the 65th minute into the game a group of around 150 Linfield fans in the North Stand, Block N started chanting:
“Why don’t you go home?
Who don’t you go home?
The famine’s over Why don’t you go home?”
- Approximately in the 44th minute into the game, a group of around 300400 Linfield supporters in the North Stand, Block N started chanting: “If you hate the 19th Century Terrorist bastards clap your hands If you hate the 19th Century Terrorist bastards clap your hands If you hate the 19th Century Terrorist bastards, hate the 19th Century Terrorist bastards Hate the 19th Century Terrorist bastards clap your hands.” Then “If you really fucking hate them clap your hands If you really fucking hate them clap your hands If you really fucking hate them, really fucking hate them Really fucking hate them clap your hands”
- Immediately following the final whistle of second half, a group of around 300-400 Linfield supporters in the North Stand, Block N started chanting: “Hello hello, we are the Billy Boys Hello, hello, you’ll know us by our noise We’re up to our knees in 19th Century Terrorist blood Surrender or you’ll die
For we are the Brigton Derry Boys.”
II.
The Respondent´s position
3. The club in its statements dated 5 July 2016 contests the existence of any religious discrimination or sectarian statements.
4. Regarding the first incident, the one referring to the chant “No Pope of Rome”, the club indicates that no more than 6-8 supporters could be identified singing the song in the first link provided by the FARE observer. None of them were visible with the second video footage. In addition, the club holds that recording such video footage could even be identified as a breach against the Data Protection Act 1998.
5. Regarding the second incident, the one relating to the song entitled “Why don´t you go home?”, the club first contests the nature of this chant in the sense provided by FARE. It notes that convictions on racism were successfully appealed. The club insists on the exaggeration of the report on the number of supporters singing this song, as well as to the fact that the conflictive part “the famine is over” is not even audible, which impedes that this song is found inherently offensive.
6. Regarding the third conflictive chant, “If you hate the 19th Century Terrorist bastards clap your hands”, the club holds that at no time the key phrase is audible, being a gross misinterpretation of the facts.
7. Finally, regarding the song “Billy Boys” allegedly sang by its supporters, the club refers to the fact that an inaudible version of a section of this song is present on the background audio on the video where no offensive lyrics are immediately apparent. Only 1-2 individuals are singing or chanting this song, being a number of non-sectarian versions of this song used by Linfield supporters and fans of other football clubs. In addition, the club insists on the fact that it condemns any chant based on the “Billy Boys”.
8. Conclusively, the club stresses that it supports UEFA´s fight against racism and discriminatory behaviors. It also draws the attention to the troubled nature of the Northern Ireland´s history and that the nation remains a divided society with many legacy issues revolving around religious sectarism.
9. The more detailed arguments made by the club in support of its written submissions are set out below in as far as they are relevant.
More to follow in part 2...
Approximately in the 44th minute into the game, a group of around 150-200 Linfield supporters in the North Stand, Block N started chanting: “No, No Pope of Rome, No Chapels to sadden my eyes (Thank %^*&!) No Nuns and no Priests, No rosary beads. Every day is the 12th of July.” The chanting was repeated 3 times, lasting for about 45 seconds total. The chant also reoccurred at 22.31 in the 41st minute of the second half. Approximately in the 65th minute into the game a group of around 150 Linfield fans in the North Stand, Block N started chanting: “Why don’t you go home? Who don’t you go home? The famine’s over. Why don’t you go home?” Approximately in the 44th minute into the game, a group of around 300-400 Linfield supporters in the North Stand, Block N started chanting: “If you hate the 19th Century Terrorist bastards clap your hands. If you really fucking hate them, really fucking hate them Really fucking hate them clap your hands” Immediately following the final whistle of the second half, a group of around 300-400 Linfield supporters in the North Stand, Block N started chanting “Hello hello, we are the Billy Boys. Hello, hello, you’ll know us by our noise. We’re up to our knees in 19th Century Terrorist blood. Surrender or you’ll die For we are the Brigton Derry Boys”.
Legal framework Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations.
Decision The Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body, decided to order the partial closure of the Linfield FC Stadium during the next UEFA competition match in which Linfield FC would play as the host club.
Chairman:
Vice-Chairmen:
Members:
Partl Thomas (AUT)
Berzi Sándor (HUN)
Hansen Jim Stjerne (DEN)
Antenen Jacques (SUI)
Bonett Chris (MLT)
Gea Tomás (AND)
Řepka Rudolf (CZE) Wolff Joël (LUX)
I.
1.
Facts Of The Case The elements set out below are a summary of the main relevant facts, as established by the Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on the basis of the official reports, the written
submissions, the exhibits filed and the statements produced in the course of the Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body proceedings. While this UEFA disciplinary body has considered all the facts, allegations, legal arguments and evidence submitted by the club in these proceedings, it refers in the present decision only to the submi ssions and evidence it considers necessary to explain its reasoning.
2. Briefly, the most relevant facts follows:
as stated by the FARE report can be summarized as
- Approximately in the 44th minute into the game, a group of around 150200 Linfield supporters in the North Stand, Block N started chanting:
“No, No Pope of Rome, No Chapels to sadden my eyes (Thank %^*&!) No Nuns and no Priests, No rosary beads Every day is the 12th of July.”
- The chanting was repeated 3 times, lasting for about 45 seconds total. The chant also reoccurred at 22.31 in the 41st minute of second half.
- Approximately in the 65th minute into the game a group of around 150 Linfield fans in the North Stand, Block N started chanting:
“Why don’t you go home?
Who don’t you go home?
The famine’s over Why don’t you go home?”
- Approximately in the 44th minute into the game, a group of around 300400 Linfield supporters in the North Stand, Block N started chanting: “If you hate the 19th Century Terrorist bastards clap your hands If you hate the 19th Century Terrorist bastards clap your hands If you hate the 19th Century Terrorist bastards, hate the 19th Century Terrorist bastards Hate the 19th Century Terrorist bastards clap your hands.” Then “If you really fucking hate them clap your hands If you really fucking hate them clap your hands If you really fucking hate them, really fucking hate them Really fucking hate them clap your hands”
- Immediately following the final whistle of second half, a group of around 300-400 Linfield supporters in the North Stand, Block N started chanting: “Hello hello, we are the Billy Boys Hello, hello, you’ll know us by our noise We’re up to our knees in 19th Century Terrorist blood Surrender or you’ll die
For we are the Brigton Derry Boys.”
II.
The Respondent´s position
3. The club in its statements dated 5 July 2016 contests the existence of any religious discrimination or sectarian statements.
4. Regarding the first incident, the one referring to the chant “No Pope of Rome”, the club indicates that no more than 6-8 supporters could be identified singing the song in the first link provided by the FARE observer. None of them were visible with the second video footage. In addition, the club holds that recording such video footage could even be identified as a breach against the Data Protection Act 1998.
5. Regarding the second incident, the one relating to the song entitled “Why don´t you go home?”, the club first contests the nature of this chant in the sense provided by FARE. It notes that convictions on racism were successfully appealed. The club insists on the exaggeration of the report on the number of supporters singing this song, as well as to the fact that the conflictive part “the famine is over” is not even audible, which impedes that this song is found inherently offensive.
6. Regarding the third conflictive chant, “If you hate the 19th Century Terrorist bastards clap your hands”, the club holds that at no time the key phrase is audible, being a gross misinterpretation of the facts.
7. Finally, regarding the song “Billy Boys” allegedly sang by its supporters, the club refers to the fact that an inaudible version of a section of this song is present on the background audio on the video where no offensive lyrics are immediately apparent. Only 1-2 individuals are singing or chanting this song, being a number of non-sectarian versions of this song used by Linfield supporters and fans of other football clubs. In addition, the club insists on the fact that it condemns any chant based on the “Billy Boys”.
8. Conclusively, the club stresses that it supports UEFA´s fight against racism and discriminatory behaviors. It also draws the attention to the troubled nature of the Northern Ireland´s history and that the nation remains a divided society with many legacy issues revolving around religious sectarism.
9. The more detailed arguments made by the club in support of its written submissions are set out below in as far as they are relevant.
More to follow in part 2...
