Chelsea issue life ban to fan who abused Sterling
Chelsea have issued a lifetime ban to the supporter accused of shouting racist abuse at Raheem Sterling last season.
Colin Wing, who claimed to have been going to Stamford Bridge for 50 years, denied that his actions were racist and escaped any criminal action from the Crown Prosecution Service.
But, having carried out their own investigation that included hiring two lip-reading experts, Chelsea have banned Wing for life and temporarily banned five more supporters for their behaviour at the game against Manchester City on Dec 8.
The five who have been given bans of between one and two years have agreed to attend educational courses and entered into agreements over their future behaviour.
A Chelsea statement said: “The club delayed reaching its decision in these cases in order to ensure that it did not prejudice the related police investigation.
“The Crown Prosecution Service has, however, recently announced that it has elected not to initiate any criminal prosecutions. This allowed the club to conduct its own investigation, which included seeking representations from the individuals concerned, reviewing video evidence, interviewing potential witnesses and obtaining expert opinions from two lip-reading professionals.
“All individuals sanctioned as a result of our investigation were then offered the right to appeal and, where applicable, those appeals have been heard. “One individual has been permanently excluded from Stamford Bridge. Prior to making its decision, the club noted the decision of the CPS not to charge this individual with a criminal offence. “While the club respects the decision of the CPS, the question that it had to determine was not whether a criminal offence had been committed, but rather whether the individual acted in breach of the ticketing terms and conditions. In this regard, the club operates to the civil standard of proof, which is entirely different to the criminal standard.
“Five individuals have been temporarily excluded from attending Stamford Bridge for periods of between one and two years. “Individuals receiving the shorter exclusion did so on the basis that they have provided undertakings about their future behaviour.” Chelsea have also hit out against anti-semitic chanting over recent months and manager Frank Lampard requested at the weekend that a song referencing “pikeys” was not repeated.
The statement added: “Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour abhorrent and we will continue to operate a zero tolerance approach to any incidents of racism. We will continue to work with our supporters to rid the game of all forms of discrimination.”