Sat Oct 20, 2018 12:44 pm
VINCE ALM:
It’s very disappointing that I find myself on behalf of FSF Cymru writing this post after many years of being proud of the welsh football fans abroad.
There have unfortunately been some unsavoury incidents, and inappropriate chanting creeping into the last couple of Wales away games since euro 2016 from a minority of supporters.
Personally, I started to see the first signs of it in Moldova where supporters drinking outside the bars many of whom were facing out towards the street, (in the past welsh fans have stood outside bars just talking and singing songs in groups rather than facing outward) and intimidating female passers by either clapping or making derogatory remarks. Some of the more travelled welsh fans tried to challenge the group once it started to turn from a bit of a laugh to being rude and distasteful accusing them of behaving like other countries supporters when abroad which led to a couple of arguments.
Some may think this minor, but if you are a female running that gauntlet it wasn’t nice for them and painted a pretty bad image in general of welsh fans.
We are now receiving complaints from welsh football fans who travelled to Aarhus, and Dublin regards sexual abuse, homophobic chanting, and racist chanting!
Two women have come forward in separate incidents, and made complaints about being groped in appropriately at the Aviva Stadium on Tuesday Evening.
We have received video footage with racists songs being sung by welsh fans.
I heard derogatory anti Irish songs above the banter level in an attempt to create a reaction from local supporters.
We have also had complaints of racist remarks made at our own players, and welsh supporters picking fights with other welsh supporters!
If this type of behaviour continues it will tarnish our great reputation abroad and will undoubtedly lead to restrictions on travel and tickets. The above are serious breaches of law no matter what country you are in and if convicted of groping will lead to them being on the sex offenders register banned from football. Racism is an offence that will get you banned, also homophobic chanting is an offence that will get you banned and convicted.
For those who have participated in the poor behaviour let me inform you how we behaved pre-euro 2016; Our supporters would get as drunk as they do now and still have a good time without acting like an idiot. However, we had and still have respect for the country we visited, the songs we sang were to support the team and the players, not wind up the locals for a fight, or anti-racist/homophobic chanting. We also had respect for our fellow welsh fans and many friendships have been made over years from supporters from all over the country. I have made some great friends from West, North, East, and South wales over the years and always look forward to catching up with them on these trips.
All we ask is you behave like human beings, you can get drunk have a good time, sing songs without the nastiness and abuse otherwise action will be taken, and it will spoil it for everyone who travels.
I will stress it is still a minority and just a few incidents, but they are slowly increasing, and we need to nip it in the bud.
I would also like to stress the majority of Welsh Football fans are well behaved and conduct themselves impeccably and respect others.
Lets hope the message gets out there and many welsh supporters can start to enjoy the trips again without fear of intimidation from our own fans