West Ham ban fan after anti-Semitic chanting
Baku, November 28 (AZERTAC). West Ham United have banned a season ticket holder and threatened further action while the FA has launched an investigation after anti-Semitic chanting marred Sunday's 3-1 Premier League loss at Tottenham Hotspur.
English soccer, long seen as having drastically reduced racism unlike some southern European footballing nations, has been beset by racism problems over the past year.
The east London club said in a statement on Monday that five fans were arrested during the game and two more were cautioned by police for "racially aggravated gesturing", which media reports referred to as Nazi salutes.
West Ham are also working with London rivals Tottenham to identify fans heard taunting Spurs supporters, who have strong Jewish ties.
Visiting fans are alleged to have sung "Viva Lazio" and "Can we stab you every week?" in relation to the attack which left a Tottenham fan seriously injured when a group stormed a bar Spurs supporters were drinking at in Rome ahead of a Europa League match with Lazio last week.
Media reports also said fans chanted "Adolf Hitler, he's coming for you" and hissed, mimicking the gassing of Jews during the Holocaust.
West Ham said the season ticket holder has been sent a letter containing a banning order from the club and that "any other individuals identified can expect a similar swift and robust response".
"West Ham United will take the strongest possible action against any of their supporters, including enforcing life bans from the club, that are found guilty of behaviour which is categorically not condoned by West Ham United," the club statement added.
"During the 46 games in the Championship last season, West Ham United had zero arrests for racism or violence, so while we are surprised to see such reports today, we will examine any available evidence of such conduct thoroughly and take the appropriate action."
The FA has been battling a series of issues linked to racism, including banning former England captain John Terry for four games for racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand when playing for Chelsea last year.
He was cleared in a criminal case.
"The FA can confirm it has begun investigating reports of abusive chanting at the Tottenham Hotspur FC versus West Ham United FC fixture on 25 November 2011," the FA said.
Other news in this section
