Football ‘seeing a significant increase in discrimination’, DCMS told

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Football at all levels is experiencing a rise in instances of discrimination, Kick It Out chair Tony Burnett told a DCMS committee on Tuesday.

Burnett was among a panel of experts to answer questions from MPs conducting an inquiry into safety at major sporting events, including issues such as personal security, accessibility, and freedom from prejudice.

It comes in the wake of the trouble seen at Wembley and the Stade de France last year and worrying statistics for the 2021-22 season showing a rise in football-related arrests for the first time in almost a decade.

When asked by Damian Green if the perception that football is going back to the 1970s and 1980s is based on anecdote or hard data, Burnett replied: “There’s definitely evidence in the space that we work in and that’s around discrimination.

“If you look at the UK Football Policing Unit, they released a report two weeks ago talking about a 99 per cent increase in hate crime discrimination over the last the last season.

“If you look at the stats that we have around discrimination – and bear in mind that we’re only one source of reporting because 92 clubs have their own sources, which all need to come together – and we see a significant increase in the year to date when it comes to incidents of discrimination.

“And that increase is across the board – it’s racism, it’s LGBTQ+ discrimination, it’s misogyny. We are seeing an increase.

“And it’s not just the professional game, if you look at grassroots football we’re seeing a significant double-digit increase in reports of discrimination there. I think it’s reflective of a broader dynamic in society being absolutely honest.”