The anti-discrimination organization Kick It Out has strongly condemned the offensive and sexist chants directed at Phil Foden’s mother during the recent Manchester derby. The incident occurred both during the first half of the match and again when Foden was substituted in the 57th minute at Old Trafford, Manchester United’s home ground. The chants, which were loud and clear, have sparked widespread outrage and calls for stronger actions against such behavior in football stadiums.
Kick It Out, launched in 1993 as the campaign “Let’s Kick Racism Out of Football” and formally established as an official organization in 1997, has consistently worked to combat discrimination in the sport. This latest incident has only highlighted the ongoing issue of sexism in football, an issue that is becoming more visible with each passing year.
During the derby between Manchester United and Manchester City, some United fans aimed sexist chants at Foden’s mother, which were particularly prominent when he left the field for a substitution. Foden’s manager, Pep Guardiola, expressed his disgust at the chants, calling them a “lack of class” and urging those responsible to be ashamed of their actions. Guardiola’s condemnation of the incident adds to the growing frustration from players, fans, and organizations alike, who are demanding an end to such discriminatory behavior in football.
Hollie Varney, a representative from Kick It Out, also made a strong statement regarding the rise in sexist chants in men’s football this year. Varney emphasized that hearing these types of chants in stadiums doesn’t just affect the players or those directly targeted; it creates an unsafe and unwelcome environment for women in general. The organization insists that this behavior is not acceptable as “banter” and has called for football officials to take more stringent action to address it.
Football’s governing bodies, including the Football Association (FA), have rules in place to address discriminatory actions such as racist, sexist, and homophobic chants. FA Rule E20 prohibits such chants, but enforcement of these rules has often been inconsistent. While the FA is committed to investigating claims of discriminatory behavior, clubs are only punished if there is sufficient evidence of “big group discriminatory chanting.” In this case, despite the offensive chants directed at Foden’s mother, the FA has decided not to take action against Manchester United. The organization has argued that the chants, while harmful and disrespectful, do not violate current rules because they were not aimed directly at a player, official, or someone directly involved in the match. This loophole has raised concerns about the FA’s approach to handling incidents like these and whether it needs to revise its rules to cover such situations more comprehensively.
This lack of action in cases like this is not new. In recent years, there have been other instances where abusive chants and discriminatory behavior were not punished, such as the chants aimed at Crystal Palace player Jean-Philippe Mateta by Millwall fans, or the abuse directed at Rebekah Vardy and Bruno Fernandes. These cases highlight a growing issue with consistency in the FA’s enforcement of its own policies.
The recent events have prompted a call for change from organizations like Kick It Out and other campaign groups, who argue that clearer, more robust rules are needed to address sexism and other forms of hate in football. Stadiums should be spaces that are safe and welcoming for everyone, and campaigners are urging the FA to take all instances of discriminatory behavior seriously, no matter who the target may be. The current stance of the FA, which often falls short in cases where the abuse is not directed at players or officials, has sparked a broader debate about how best to handle discrimination in the sport and ensure that football remains an inclusive and respectful environment for all involved.
