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West Ham United have been charged by the Football Association (FA) following allegations of homophobic chanting by their supporters during last month’s 2-1 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The FA has accused the club of misconduct, claiming that West Ham "failed to ensure its spectators did not behave in an improper, offensive, abusive, indecent or insulting way with reference to sexual orientation." The charge relates to crowd control responsibilities during the match on February 3.
In response to the incident, West Ham issued a statement days after the game, strongly condemning the behavior. "Discriminatory and homophobic chants aimed at opposition supporters are wholly unacceptable and have no place in football or anywhere else," the club said, emphasizing that such actions are also considered a criminal offence.
The Hammers have been given until April 1 to formally respond to the charges.
Paquetá’s Betting Case Underway
The club’s troubles extend beyond fan misconduct, as midfielder Lucas Paquetá is currently facing an FA hearing over alleged spot-fixing violations. Reports suggest the proceedings, which began last week, could be one of the longest in FA history, potentially lasting up to three weeks.
Paquetá is accused of attempting to manipulate the betting market by deliberately getting booked in four Premier League matches—against Leicester (November 2022), Aston Villa (March 2023), Leeds (May 2023), and Bournemouth (August 2023). While the Brazilian did not place any bets himself, the FA claims wagers were made by close associates on him receiving yellow cards.
Featured Image Credit: Pixabay / jorono, Unsplash / Samuel Regan-Asante
