Jeffery chant claims underline need for football laws to be created

11.24.57am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 14th Aug 2007

Alliance Party Sports Spokesperson Cllr Michael Long, has stated that David Jeffery's claims regarding sectarian abuse at the Ballymena United - Linfield match at the weekend underlines the need for laws to prevent racist and sectarian chanting, so that such claims can be fully investigated by appropriate authorities.

Cllr Michael Long said: "David Jeffery's claims underline the need for a protocol for full investigation of such issues by the relevant authorities like the police. For this protocol to be put in place, legislation must be created in Northern Ireland to crackdown on racism and sectarianism on the terraces.

"Alliance has been campaigning for laws similar to the Football Offences Act to be introduced here to stamp out all form prejudice in football. We have kept the pressure on the NIO and the Executive on this issue, and we will continue to do so until we get the right result.

"The game should be there for all to enjoy and we must make terraces a shared space. It is vitally important for the future of local football that we get more people through the turnstiles at Irish League grounds, and these laws will help us do that.

"Introducing such legislation will help us give bigots the boot for once and for all."

ENDS