Man City condemn homophobic chanting during Chelsea game
Manchester City have condemned homophobic chanting by some of their own supporters during the FA Cup draw against Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola's side cruised to a 4-0 victory to eliminate Graham Potter's side and draw a fourth-round draw with Premier League leaders Arsenal should Mikel Arteta's side beat Oxford United on Monday.
A section of local fans could be heard chanting "Chelsea rent boys", which in January 2022 was defined as a hate crime by the Crown Prosecution Service.
City confirmed after the match that they were looking into the matter with the Football Association (FA).
"Manchester City strongly condemns the behavior of a minority of supporters who engaged in discriminatory chanting during today's match," read a club statement.
"We are proud to celebrate inclusiveness in football and ask all fans to join us in creating a positive environment and atmosphere, where everyone is welcomed, accepted and has a fantastic match experience."
Sunday's incident is the third of its kind in the past week, with the FA also investigating chants used by Nottingham Forest supporters in their 1-1 Premier League draw with Chelsea, and by Manchester United supporters during their FA Cup win over Everton.
An FA spokesperson said: "We strongly condemn the use of the term 'rent boy' and are determined to remove it from our game. We continue to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service, and with the Football Policing Unit of the United Kingdom, regarding the use of this term.
"Part of our work in this area has included providing the relevant authorities with impact statements from LGBTQ+ supporters, detailing how chanting of this nature affects their experience and sense of inclusion at football matches, so that a clearer position and understanding on the chant can be established.
"We strongly oppose all forms of discrimination and strive to ensure that our game is a safe environment for all, which genuinely embraces diversity and challenges hateful behavior on and off the pitch."
Manchester City have condemned homophobic chanting by some of their own supporters during the FA Cup draw against Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola's side cruised to a 4-0 victory to eliminate Graham Potter's side and draw a fourth-round draw with Premier League leaders Arsenal should Mikel Arteta's side beat Oxford United on Monday.
A section of local fans could be heard chanting "Chelsea rent boys", which in January 2022 was defined as a hate crime by the Crown Prosecution Service.
City confirmed after the match that they were looking into the matter with the Football Association (FA).
"Manchester City strongly condemns the behavior of a minority of supporters who engaged in discriminatory chanting during today's match," read a club statement.
"We are proud to celebrate inclusiveness in football and ask all fans to join us in creating a positive environment and atmosphere, where everyone is welcomed, accepted and has a fantastic match experience."
Sunday's incident is the third of its kind in the past week, with the FA also investigating chants used by Nottingham Forest supporters in their 1-1 Premier League draw with Chelsea, and by Manchester United supporters during their FA Cup win over Everton.
An FA spokesperson said: "We strongly condemn the use of the term 'rent boy' and are determined to remove it from our game. We continue to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service, and with the Football Policing Unit of the United Kingdom, regarding the use of this term.
"Part of our work in this area has included providing the relevant authorities with impact statements from LGBTQ+ supporters, detailing how chanting of this nature affects their experience and sense of inclusion at football matches, so that a clearer position and understanding on the chant can be established.
"We strongly oppose all forms of discrimination and strive to ensure that our game is a safe environment for all, which genuinely embraces diversity and challenges hateful behavior on and off the pitch."
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