Record Surge in Discrimination Reports Marks 2023-24 Soccer Season

The 2023-24 season saw a record number of discrimination reports to Kick It Out, a UK anti-discrimination charity, with 1,332 incidents reported—a 32% rise from the previous year. Racism remained the most reported form of discrimination, showing a 47% increase, while faith-based reports rose by 34%.

The 2023-24 soccer season marked a troubling milestone as anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out recorded 1,332 incidents of discrimination, the highest in a single season, the organization announced on Wednesday.

Racism topped the list with a 47% increase in reports, and faith-based discrimination also surged by 34%. Sanjay Bhandari, Chair of Kick It Out, highlighted the gravity of the situation, stating, 'These figures underline the seriousness of football's discrimination problem.' He added that the rising figures also reflect growing intolerance towards discrimination and heightened awareness of reporting mechanisms.

Notably, a significant portion of racism was directed at players of East Asian descent. In a concerning incident last November, a Crystal Palace fan received a three-year ban for racially abusing Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min.

(With inputs from agencies.)