Irish league: Concern as the IFA expands reach of 'anti-discriminatory' rules for fans and players
The IFA has greatly expanded the range of what it considers discriminatory behaviour, sparking concerns that simply slagging off rival fans' clubs now falls under that category.
Irish League stalwart Jim Boyce said that while he welcomes any crackdown on "vicious" chanting, banter should be allowed so long as it is "humorous", whilst Jamie Bryson said the new rules are "absolutely bonkers".
At the centre of the story is the IFA's disciplinary code.
Running to 38 pages, it is regularly reviewed and this year the IFA have expanded the entry on "discrimination".
Under the 2023 rules, someone would be banned for at least 10 games if they "offend the dignity of a person or group of persons through contemptuous, discriminatory or denigratory words or actions concerning race, colour, language, religion, sectarianism, or origin".
Now, under the 2024 rules, this list also includes "social origin, ethnicity, political or any other opinion, wealth, birth, or any other status or any other reason" (News Letter’s emphases).
In both the 2023 and 2024 rules, there are also fines for breaching these rules.
They range from £500 if a single player is found to have "offended the dignity" of a person or a group, rising to a £1,000 fine for the club if supporters do it.
In more serious cases, points can be deducted – with the ultimate option being the relegation of the club.
In both the 2023 and 2024 rules, there also is no need to find anyone who is actually offended by the behaviour.
Instead, "it will open to the committee to conclude that by their very nature, the comments made offend the dignity of a person or group of persons".
Mr Bryson, a loyalist activist who briefly served as secretary of East Belfast FC in 2019, and who also represents clubs before the IFA's appeals tribunal, said the newly-expanded definition of discrimination is "bizarre".
“Applying this new definition, saying someone is a buck eejit for supporting Cliftonville for example would be discrimination. It is absurd," he said.
“The IFA have lost the run of themselves long ago in pursuit of ticking every hyper-woke box going, but now this delusion is actually going to have chaotic practical effects on local football at every level from junior football to the Premiership in Northern Ireland."
He added: "This surely can’t stand. Whoever wrote this should be nowhere near drafting rules of any kind."
Jim Boyce OBE, the former Cliftonville chairman and FIFA vice-president, said: "There's a difference in my opinion between what I'd call humourous chants and vicious chants. Obviously if it's humorous I've no objection to this whatsoever.
"Football in NI has come a long way. Every effort should be made to cut out any form of discrimination or sectarianism... if there's a genuine attempt to try and make the game more family friendly for people to enjoy, then it should be encouraged. Whether it works or not is another story.
"As long as things are deemed to be of a humourous nature, I've no problem with that. But if they're of a vicious nature, I'd encourage them to be cut out."
The IFA was contacted but had yet to respond at time of writing.
The IFA has been criticised for other strategic and policy decisions by Northern Ireland football fans.
The News Letter columnist Owen Polley, who has watched the team play around the world, wrote in his most recent column that the IFA had given cover to the GAA over its demands for a vastly expensive stadium at Casement.
He wrote: "At an early stage, the IFA claimed that there was ‘no route’ to funding the expansion of its own National Stadium, at Windsor Park, so that it could meet the requirements for the tournament.
"Instead, it repeatedly and at times almost aggressively championed the idea of a facility at Casement Park.
"Two of the main figures in this campaign were Patrick Nelson, the body’s chief executive, who previously refused to deny that he would receive a bonus for delivering Euro 2028 to Northern Ireland, and the former Alliance MLA, Chris Lyttle, who is the IFA’s head of public affairs.
“In contrast, the majority of fans of the Northern Ireland football team strongly oppose the idea of playing Europe’s premier international football tournament at a GAA stadium."
Mr Polley continued: "The IFA, mind you, is used to being at odds with its own supporters."