The Irish Football Association has shamed the SFA by fining Linfield over sectarian and racist chanting this season.
In Scotland both brands of poison are a key part of the product cherished and encouraged by Ian Maxwell and Neil Doncaster as they promote and market the game around one fixture where a blind eye is turned to racism and sectarian chanting as well glass attacks on opponents.
While the SFA do nothing on the ‘atmosphere’ at Ibrox twice in 2019 UEFA closed parts of the stadium as part of sanctions for racist chanting in their competitions.
In 2011 there were no away fans in Malmo for the last ever Rangers Champions League qualifier after fans had continued to celebrate their hatred of Catholics through the Billy Boys song.
Last night BBC Northern Ireland reported:
Linfield have been sanctioned by the Irish FA for sectarian chanting and a racist comment from their supporters at matches.
The south Belfast club have been fined £4,000 and also given a suspended one-match stadium ban for their travelling fans.
The incidents of supporter misconduct took place in Irish Premiership matches away to Larne on 15 September, away to Cliftonville on 20 October and at home to Loughgall on 28 October.
Linfield have the right to appeal the sanctions that were issued by the Irish FA’s disciplinary committee.
The one-match stadium ban for away spectators is suspended until 29 February 2024, with the IFA saying the sanction can be implemented with immediate effect if another incident of spectator misconduct occurs before that date.
The sectarian chanting from Linfield fans occurred during the matches against Larne at Inver Park and against Cliftonville at Solitude.
The racist comment from a supporter came in their meeting at Windsor Park against Loughgall and was directed at visiting player Pablo Andrade.
Linfield have been fined £1,000 for what happened against Larne, £2,000 for the Cliftonville match and £1,000 for the Loughgall game.
Linfield challenged the sanction given for the incidents against Larne and Cliftonville, but made no challenge in relation to what happened, or the sanction, in the game against Loughgall.
Former Ibrox PR chief David Graham is the General Manager of Linfield.
In March Scotland host Northern Ireland in a friendly at Hampden, perhaps Maxwell could discuss effective action to tackle sectarian chanting and racism with his counterparts from Belfast.
Shows the mentality of the clubs and fans when they challenged both “sectarian ” fines but happily accepted the racism one, they honestly don’t see their anti Catholic views as being wrong.
100%, Linfield like Rangers has a nasty history of discrimination of not having catholics in their team. Support are rotten.