Republican News · Thursday 24 October 2002

Sectarian soccer abuse

The sectarianism that permeates soccer in the Six Counties reared its ugly head at the weekend when supporters of Belfast club Glentoran hurled sectarian abuse at Omagh Town manager Roy McCreadie.

During Saturday's match at St Julian's Road, McCreadie said the "abuse from the Glentoran fans was so bad that some of our (Omagh) supporters were too scared to cheer on their team".

McCreadie, who was the target of most of the insults, complained that in a previous incident last season at Ballymena, during an Irish Cup tie, he was also targeted by sectarian bigots. The Omagh manager says he complained to the IFA (Irish Football Association) about that incident but "they swept it under the carpet.

"This time I will not go away. I will ask our club to involve UEFA and attempt to have one of their observers at one of our more volatile matches."

McCreadie also claimed that Glentoran captain Chris Walker "volleyed the ball into the broad of my back" as he led his team to the dressing room at half time. McCreadie maintains that PSNI members on duty witnessed the incident.

Reacting to this latest sectarian incident at one of their games the IFA, through President Jim Boyce, appears to be making a less than vigorous response.

The IFA President called for legislation similar to the English Football Offences Act to be introduced in the North, claiming this legislation "would mean people hurling abuse could be arrested and removed from grounds".

However, critics of the IFA say that the Incitement to Hatred Act already exists outlawing sectarianism and they accuse the IFA of "burying their head in the sand".

The critics say the IFA does not want to confront the fact that the sectarianism that permeates soccer in the Six Counties comes from loyalists and is directed at Catholics.

This view that the soccer authorities in the North ignore the sectarianism of loyalist supporters can only be reinforced by the remarks of Glentoran Chief Executive Stafford Reynolds, who said after the Omagh incident: "I was at the game and heard nothing untoward."