November 23, (THEWILL) – Luton have been fined £120,000 by the England Football Association for misconduct related to homophobic chanting by fans during the opening 2023/2024 Premier League match against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, August 12. The FA also imposed a two-year action plan on the club to address fan behaviour issues.
Luton, who earned promotion to the English Premier League for the first time in 31 years last May, accepted the misconduct charge from the FA. The charge stated that Luton failed to ensure its spectators and supporters conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and did not use offensive, abusive language with reference to sexual orientation.
In response, Luton noted that it remained an inclusive, family-friendly club, which abhors discriminatory chanting with a zero-tolerance policy. The club will continue participating in the FA’s “Love Football, Protect The Game” anti-discrimination campaign. Luton also pledged to identify and ban any fans found to have engaged in abusive chanting, which constitutes a criminal offence.
Over the past seasons, Luton has worked with its LGBTQ+ supporters group Rainbow Hatters to foster a safe, welcoming environment at matches. The club says it will collaborate further with fan groups to educate against and eliminate all forms of discriminatory acts.
The FA fine comes as a stern warning for clubs to control fan behaviour. With the 2023/2024 Premier League season underway, teams must ensure matches and fan behaviour are inclusive for all.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
