Wolves fined for fans' homophobic chanting

[July 14, 2023]  (Reuters) - Wolverhampton Wanderers have been handed a 100,000-pound ($131,000) fine for homophobic chanting by a section of their supporters during their home Premier League game against Chelsea in April, the Football Association (FA) said on Friday. 

The FA has issued a plan of action, which includes awareness of unacceptable behavior, that will take immediate effect and remain in place for the coming season.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Crystal Palace - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - April 25, 2023 Wolverhampton Wanderers fans with flags inside the stadium before the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers/File Photo

"The punishment relates to the 'Chelsea rent boy' chant, which is defined as a homophobic slur and was made a prosecutable offence for anyone found to sing or use the words by the Crown Prosecution Service in January 2022...," the FA said in a statement.

"The Football Association now considers this specific chant to amount to a breach of FA Rules and reserve the right to pursue formal disciplinary action against any club whose supporters engage in such behavior going forward."

Wolves said they accepted the decision and those identified and found guilty will face lengthy stadium bans.

($1 = 0.7628 pounds)

(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)

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