Peter Hanson

ALT RAINBOW OWLS STATEMENT - RE: HOMOPHOBIC INCIDENT Yesterday’s match between Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday involved a homophobic incident at Pride Park, where a Sheffield Wednesday fan made a slur towards Svante Ingelsson in the away end. This was heard by one of our members, who reported it to nearby stewards and Derby County’s matchday reporting number at half-time. A safety officer and the police both investigated the incident in real time and, while an arrest was ultimately not made, the report was handled by all at Derby County in a pragmatic, professional and serious manner, with the fan being praised for reporting it and their handling of the situation. It is disappointing that anti-LGBTQ+ abuse at football matches remains such a frequent occurrence, as almost 13% of last season’s Premier League games received at least one report of an anti-LGBTQ+ incident.

ALT RAINBOW OWLS STATEMENT - RE: HOMOPHOBIC INCIDENT Reporting any type of discrimination, made either in-person or online, involves a great amount of strength, but it is also vital in making our beautiful game safer - and more enjoyable and inclusive - for everyone. Even if an arrest can’t be made at a game, or if a report is retrospectively made after a match, reporting remains hugely beneficial to football clubs, as it helps them to build a pattern of what type of anti-discriminatory behaviour occurs and where it tends to happen, so that preventative and proactive measures can be taken for future games. We take a zero-tolerance stance against discrimination at Rainbow Owls and we always empower fans to report abuse through highlighting reporting services before every Sheffield Wednesday match. Whether it’s a steward listening to a concern, or an ally offering to provide a witness statement, we can all take action and help to make football for everyone.