Premier League: Fans to face minimum 1-year ban for field invasion

Top-flight teams agreed to introduce the sanction with immediate effect on Wednesday, as part of measures to tackle increased anti-social behavior at matches.

Published : Sep 21, 2022 20:41 IST , LONDON

Other measures set to be implemented include improved searching of individuals entering grounds, increased use of sniffer dogs, and working with social media platforms to quickly remove fan videos of illegal behavior.
Other measures set to be implemented include improved searching of individuals entering grounds, increased use of sniffer dogs, and working with social media platforms to quickly remove fan videos of illegal behavior. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
infoIcon

Other measures set to be implemented include improved searching of individuals entering grounds, increased use of sniffer dogs, and working with social media platforms to quickly remove fan videos of illegal behavior. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Football fans who run onto the field or use objects like smoke bombs and pyrotechnics at English Premier League matches will receive automatic bans from clubs for a minimum of a year.

Top-flight teams agreed to introduce the sanction with immediate effect on Wednesday at a league shareholders’ meeting, as part of measures to tackle increased anti-social behavior at matches.

The league said the bans could be extended to accompanying parents or guardians of children who take part in such conduct. The ban is applicable to home and away matches.

Concerns were raised about safety issues inside stadiums following incidents which marred the end of last season in the Premier League and lower leagues.

Among them, Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira kicked out at an Everton fan who was taunting him during a field invasion at Goodison Park, and Sheffield United captain Billy Sharp was headbutted in the face by a Nottingham Forest fan at the end of a playoff game in the second-tier Championship. The Forest fan was given a 24-week prison sentence.

Other measures set to be implemented include improved searching of individuals entering grounds, increased use of sniffer dogs, and working with social media platforms to quickly remove fan videos of illegal behavior.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment