A Chelsea fan of the English Professional Football Premier League (EPL), who behaved racistly against Son Heung-min (31, Tottenham), will not be able to watch the game at the soccer field for three years.
British media Football London reported on the 3rd (Korean time) that the City of London Magistrates Court in London has ordered a 30-year-old man to be banned from watching football for three years.
At the same time, a fine of 726 pounds (about 1.13 million won) was imposed.
The man, a Chelsea fan, behaved racistly towards Son Heung-min during a league match between Chelsea and Tottenham at Stamford Bridge in London on August 15 last year.
At the time, when Son Heung-min moved to kick the corner, the man took off his top in the crowd and made a motion to tear his eyes sideways, and this scene became controversial as it spread through social media (SNS).
The Chelsea club immediately confirmed the man’s identity and issued a ban on their own ground.
In the late 1980s, due to the ‘hooligan’ incident that frequently caused riots in the stadium, the UK enacted a ‘football viewing ban’ and imposed judicial sanctions.
If convicted of football-related crimes, such as violence and racism, magistrates and others can issue dispositions such as banning entry.
Son Heung-min, who became the first Asian player to become the EPL scorer in the 2021-2022 season, continues to suffer from racial discrimination.
On the 20th of last month, Son Heung-min heard racial slurs in a home game against West Ham at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Tottenham’s home stadium.
At this time, Son Heung-min led Tottenham to a 2-0 victory with a key goal in the 27th minute of the second half when the team was leading 1-0.
Regarding racism against Son Heung-min, the England Football Association (FA) said, “We strongly condemn the racist abuse targeting Son Heung-min. We will support government authorities and social media companies to take the strongest possible action to address this.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.