Chelsea will take “the strongest possible action.”
Chelsea have released a statement explaining they are investigating sectarian abuse aimed at John McGinn during their 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday.
“We are aware of a video circulating on social media showing an individual using abusive language of a sectarian nature in the crowd at Stamford Bridge on Saturday,” the statement read.
“Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour totally unacceptable and we condemn the language used.
The club is working to identify the person involved and will take the strongest possible action against them.”
The issue was highlighted by former Chelsea and Scotland star, Pat Nevin:
I’ve just received video of vile sectarian comments aimed at the fabulous John McGinn at Stamford Bridge. Heading there now for tomorrow’s game and will talk to the club. You get vile abuse from many fans of many clubs, but this is NO excuse! I hope and expect investigations!
— Pat Nevin (@PatNevin) September 13, 2021
Aston Villa have thanked Chelsea for their cooperation, saying: “Aston Villa are grateful to our friends at Chelsea FC for their swift and decisive action in both condemning the bigotry aimed at John McGinn at Stamford Bridge and in launching an investigation to identify the culprit.”
Aston Villa will fully support that investigation. Both Clubs have zero tolerance for the scourge of discrimination in any form when it occurs in our stadia.”
The Athletic’s Joey d’Urso reports that this incident relates to a video circulating on social media of a Chelsea fan calling McGinn a ‘fenian’, a deeply offensive term for a Catholic in Scotland.
This relates to a video circulating of someone with a Scottish accent yelling "fenian" at McGinn – in Scotland a deeply offensive term a Catholic, but probably utterly foreign and baffling to most people in the Chelsea crowd. https://t.co/agStds27cS
— Joey D'Urso (@josephmdurso) September 13, 2021
Chelsea have asked for any supporter who was present in that area of the ground and has information that can assist their investigation to contact the club via their discrimination reporting line.
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