December 2nd 2024.
The police had planned to have a conversation with a passionate football fan at a later time. This fan, who followed a non-league team, was accused of making a derogatory monkey gesture towards a player during a match. Unfortunately, news of the fan's death surfaced just one day after the allegation was made.
The Chester FC supporter, whose identity remains unknown, had apparently made the gesture towards Warrington Town player Bohan Dixon during a National League North game on Saturday. The match, which took place at the Cal.Delivery Stadium, was attended by 900 Chester fans. As Dixon celebrated his team's opening goal, the incident occurred in front of these travelling supporters.
After video footage of the incident began circulating on social media, the police had planned to speak to the Chester supporter. However, on Sunday, the non-league club announced that the fan had passed away. The club expressed their sadness and posted a message on social media, respectfully disabling comments. They also extended their thoughts and condolences to the fan's loved ones.
A spokesperson from Cheshire Constabulary shared that during the match, they were made aware of a racially aggravated public order offence. The suspect had been identified and was supposed to be spoken to at a later date. Unfortunately, the man was reported to have passed away at his residence in Flint on Sunday. The spokesperson added that there were no suspicious circumstances and that a file would be prepared for the coroner. As per standard protocol, the matter had also been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Prior to news of the supporter's death, Chester had released a statement on Saturday expressing their anger and dismay at the alleged instance of racism towards a Warrington Town player. The club had acted promptly and gathered video and photo evidence of the incident. They had also identified the individual responsible and reported the matter to the Football Association (FA) and Cheshire Police.
Chester FC made it clear that they condemn all forms of discrimination and will not tolerate any kind of abuse. They firmly stated that racism has no place in sports or society and that anyone found guilty of such behavior would be banned indefinitely from attending matches. The club also mentioned that there were other incidents of unacceptable behavior during the match, which had been reported to the FA by officials. These included the use of pyrotechnics and throwing objects.
The club expressed disappointment in having to address the actions of a small minority who are unable to behave responsibly. They acknowledged the exceptional support received from the 900 Chester fans who were present at the game. However, the club now faces an investigation by the FA. They reminded everyone that such behavior puts the safety of players, officials, and supporters at risk and also has financial consequences for the club. Chester FC urged anyone with information on other incidents during the match to contact them, assuring that all reports would remain confidential.
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