Tuesday 12 August 2014 10:14, UK
Norwich City supporters who came forward to report an alleged racist incident during their Sky Bet Championship game against Wolves on Sunday have been applauded by anti-discrimination campaign Kick It Out.
Norwich have launched an investigation after reports that up to five of their supporters in the away end taunted a Wolves player at Molineux during their opening game of the season.
The Norfolk side have already said any fan guilty of making racist chants could face a lifetime ban from the club.
Kick It Out issued the following statement: “Kick It Out praises Norwich City supporters for reporting an alleged racist incident which occurred in the away end during the fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux.
“Self-policing by supporters is a crucial factor in the ongoing battle to eradicate all forms of discrimination from the stands and it is greatly encouraging that Norwich fans reported this behaviour so swiftly.
“We also welcome the actions of the Wolves safety team that promptly identified the perpetrators, and commend both clubs for the strong stances they have taken following the incident.
“We have since offered Wolves and Norwich our assistance and support on the matter, and now await the outcome of any Police investigation with the evidence provided.
“Empowering supporters to challenge discrimination is vital, and any fan who sees, hears or is the victim of this type of abuse can report it immediately via the free Kick It Out app which is available for download on iPhone and Android devices.”
Kick It Out Chair Lord Herman Ouseley, added: “This incident proves the power of supporters coming together to confront discriminatory behaviour. It is also vital that all of the game’s stakeholders collectively work to root out any type of discriminatory behaviour with the new season now underway.”
