Wolves is highlighting its zero-tolerance policy towards discrimination of any kind ahead of the game against Chelsea this weekend.
At the same fixtures in recent seasons, arrests have been made by West Midlands Police for homophobic chanting, specifically the ‘rent boy’ chant which has historically been heard in matches against Chelsea, or towards players and supporters with connections to the London club.
Ahead of the fixture, it is important that all supporters understand that the ‘Chelsea rent boy’ chant is defined as a homophobic slur by the Crown Prosecution Service – the main public agency for prosecuting crimes in England and Wales – and therefore a hate crime and a prosecutable offence.
The definition of hate crime is ‘any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by hostility or prejudice’, therefore the club is reiterating its position on discriminatory chanting, the chant in question, and any other chant that may reference it.
Furthermore, supporters who are not prosecuted by police or issued a Football Banning Order are still at risk of being banned from all Wolves matches if deemed to have contravened Wolves’ Acceptable Behaviour Policy, which can be viewed by clicking here.
Wolves general manager for football operations, Matt Wild, said: “At Wolves, we remain steadfast in our commitment to tackling all forms of discrimination, with a continued focus on educating supporters about homophobia and this specific chant, which has been recognised as a criminal offence for over two years.
“It is crucial for our supporters to understand that arrests have been made, and individuals have been prosecuted, for using homophobic slurs at football matches.
“Homophobic chanting or gesturing is offensive and completely unacceptable. Such discriminatory actions and language not only tarnish the football experience for fans, but also goes against the core values of Wolves.
“We trust that our supporters will continue to stand against hateful and homophobic behaviour. As a club, we will persist in our efforts to promote inclusivity in football and society, addressing discriminatory abuse both inside stadiums and online.”
At the start of the 2022/23 season, The FA, Premier League, EFL, Barclays Women’s Super League, Barclay’s Women’s Championship and the National League System - backed by the Football Supporters’ Association - came together to launch the "Love Football. Protect the Game" campaign, reminding fans of enhanced measures and tough sanctions in place to help keep matchday environments safe for all.
Football is an inclusive game, with a unique power to unite fans and bring communities together to share and celebrate their passion. Messaging continues to be promoted to fans throughout the season, to remind supporters to help keep matchdays a positive and welcoming experience for all, making it clear discrimination and other unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated and action will be taken. For more information on the Love Football. Protect the Game campaign, please click here.
Anyone who has experienced a football-related hate crime, or has information about an offence, should make a formal report by calling 101 or via the Live Chat service on the West Midlands Police website. For more information on how to report an incident or discrimination at Molineux, please click here.
On matchday, fans are encouraged if they see or hear racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory or antisocial behaviour to report what they see or experience to a matchday steward, or text the Not In Our Pack text line on 07723 479887 and start the message with WOLVES.
