Cardiff City demand apology from Reading over fans' arrests - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51272271
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Cardiff City demand apology from Reading over fans' arrests - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51272271
Good on the club, they could have let it slide but they've backed the fans here in a big way.
Good
https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news...atement-270120Quote:
Following conversations over the past 48 hours with Reading Football Club, Thames Valley Police and South Wales Police, we have a clear picture of the facts pertaining to Saturday’s stadium announcement during our fourth round FA Cup tie at Madejski Stadium and the upsetting allegations made against our supporters.
It is understood that the four Cardiff City supporters arrested and subsequently released prior to investigation were cited during the fixture for using what would normally be considered as unwarranted or non-sensical language. This language could be heard taking place between fans of both clubs and was of an anti-Welsh/anti-English nature.
We are extremely disappointed that Reading Football Club chose to label the behaviour as racist and homophobic (of which there has been no evidence). We also question their protocol and procedure on the day and welcome a full investigation into its use for the benefit of both our clubs and indeed British football.
We are also very disturbed and concerned with some of the subsequent press and media reporting on this matter. Cardiff City Football Club is fully supportive of the efforts being made to banish racism, homophobia and other prejudices from our game and feel that inaccurate or mis-informed reporting harms and dilutes this critical messaging and the work football does within diverse communities in our city and its surrounding areas. Cardiff City is an inclusive club and embraces all cultures, ethnicities and people. We would welcome a retraction from those press and media outlets that have given the perception of our supporters as being racist and homophobic.
Cardiff City FC Executive Director & CEO, Ken Choo, said on the matter: “Our Football Club prides itself on its respect of all people, irrespective of their background, beliefs or orientation. Cardiff is a diverse and welcoming, modern multicultural city and our supporters’ conduct consistently reflects that at our games.
“The announcement made at Reading this weekend was both damaging and hurtful and we would welcome a correction and apology from them to our supporters.
“I look forward to the conclusion of the police investigation, at which point I am confident that the reputation of our club and fans will be fully and unequivocally restored.”
Full statement.
not even broadcast enough... not heard about this until i came on here...
brushed under the carpet job
The BBC are reporting it
I expect the next edition of the Wales on Sunday will have an apology on the front page...
The match at Reading on Saturday is the start of bad blood between the clubs which will endure for a while.
Damn right - whoever made the complaint needs to be made to publicly apologise as well as Reading FC
They're just a bunch of Berks
Well I ain’t apologising you bunch of racist (and homophobic) *****. :biggrin:
May be worth reminding them of this
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...shire-31746030
Who's advising Ken Choo on this issue, Malky Mackay?
The club would be in an awkward spot should one or more of them be convicted of a racially aggravated public order offence as adopting a similar line would leave CCFC open to accusations of condoning racism.
Friday should be interesting but as they'll probably bring about 33 people it wont be that tense between the fans. I imagine our away game there next season will be a sell out for us, let ourselves be heard for the full 90 instead of being falsely embarrassed into silence by the weasels.
Don't we have 5% of rail network and 1% of rail spending? Or Welsh Tories who will do anything to vote down Welsh language or Scottish Tories who will speak out against education in Gaelic? I'd happily trade in singing anti-English songs if in return we get a federal UK and politicians (such as the UK Prime Minster) are held to same standard Reading FC holds football fans.
A sharp PA man down the City could have a satirical, sarcastic field day on Friday & next Tuesday, the piss could be taken in so many ways every time the 50 or so Reading fans break into song. ‘We forgot that you were here’..... ‘Could the Reading fans please refrain from singing derogatory songs about dementia’, ‘Is there a fire drill?’.....’Could the Reading fans refrain from scaremongering about arson’ etc etc, any more?
<p><span style="font-size: 14.4px;">The Club reacts after Cardiff City fans called racist and homophobic by Reading Football Club.</span></p>
<p>Amid the 'banter' betwen Cardiff and Reading fans at the Madejski on Saturday a sombre announcement over the tannoy warned Cardiff City fans to stop their racist and homophobic language.</p>
<p><img title="C:WindowsTempphpCBDE.tmp" src="http://pictures.footymad.net/upload/120/942602-1.jpg" alt="C:WindowsTempphpCBDE.tmp" width="600" height="360" /></p>
<p>The result was to dull the, until then, lively interaction between the home and away supporters and left Cardiff fans wondering just what an earth had happened.</p>
<p>It seems that the anti English and anti Welsh singing that was going back and fore was 'racist and homophobic' but only if you were a Cardiff fan.</p>
<p>As a result of the annoucement the media quickly jumped on the bandwagon and were happy to spread the news without the facts (nothing new there then) and fulfil the myth spread by the tannoy announcer.</p>
<p>There have been minor retractions and word changes from some of the media quick to hammer us at the time but when your own national newspaper runs a front page headline FANS IN 'RACIST CHANT' STORM you realise that trial by media is pretty one sided and first impressions, however inaccurate, count.</p>
<p>I hope that Reading FC and Wales On Sunday offer some sort of retraction and the mainstream media report on that as quickly as they were ready to condemn us.</p>
<p><em><strong>The Club statement reads: </strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>Following conversations over the past 48 hours with Reading Football Club, Thames Valley Police and South Wales Police, we have a clear picture of the facts pertaining to Saturday’s stadium announcement during our fourth round FA Cup tie at Madejski Stadium and the upsetting allegations made against our supporters.</strong></em><br /><em><strong>It is understood that the four Cardiff City supporters arrested and subsequently released prior to investigation were cited during the fixture for using what would normally be considered as unwarranted or non-sensical language. This language could be heard taking place between fans of both clubs and was of an anti-Welsh/anti-English nature.</strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>We are extremely disappointed that Reading Football Club chose to label the behaviour as racist and homophobic (of which there has been no evidence). We also question their protocol and procedure on the day and welcome a full investigation into its use for the benefit of both our clubs and indeed British football.</strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>We are also very disturbed and concerned with some of the subsequent press and media reporting on this matter. Cardiff City Football Club is fully supportive of the efforts being made to banish racism, homophobia and other prejudices from our game and feel that inaccurate or mis-informed reporting harms and dilutes this critical messaging and the work football does within diverse communities in our city and its surrounding areas. Cardiff City is an inclusive club and embraces all cultures, ethnicities and people. We would welcome a retraction from those press and media outlets that have given the perception of our supporters as being racist and homophobic.</strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>Cardiff City FC Executive Director & CEO, Ken Choo, said on the matter: “Our Football Club prides itself on its respect of all people, irrespective of their background, beliefs or orientation. Cardiff is a diverse and welcoming, modern multicultural city and our supporters’ conduct consistently reflects that at our games.</strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>“The announcement made at Reading this weekend was both damaging and hurtful and we would welcome a correction and apology from them to our supporters.</strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>“I look forward to the conclusion of the police investigation, at which point I am confident that the reputation of our club and fans will be fully and unequivocally restored.”</strong></em></p>
Don`t be surprised if SWP and CCFC have had contact prior to the club statement.
Despite what we now know the media are still mentioning racist chanting! This article has been posted in the last 5 minutes!!!
http://https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/sport-opinion/reading-fc-cardiff-city-fans-17637230
At least it’s balanced blaming both sets of fans. You could argue both sets of fans were making racist chants in reality. Where do you draw the line? There is a danger that the game becomes sanitised to the extent no one dares make a chant and the match day atmosphere is ruined.