Developing the Strategy
A Sectarianism in Football ( SIF) Working Group was established to take forward work to tackle sectarianism in football and produce this strategy. The SIF Working Group was formed as a direct response to action 6 in the Action Plan on Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland. Details of the membership and remit of the group can be found at Annex A.
Scope and aim of the Strategy
The SIF Working Group agreed that the scope of the strategy needed to cover all aspects of sectarianism in Scottish football including the behaviour of fans, players and other club officials and representatives. This is an agenda where everyone can play a positive role. The SIF Working Group aimed to identify and agree appropriate and realistic actions to be carried out by all relevant parties, either individually or collectively, that would have a positive impact on tackling sectarianism however it manifests itself in and around Scottish football. Such actions should aim to prevent sectarian behaviour occurring in the first place, and allow for appropriate action to be taken in response to sectarianism behaviour.
The SIF Working Group recognised the particular importance of the role of football clubs in challenging any sectarian behaviour of among fans, for anti-sectarian policies to be clear and easy to understand and for appropriate penalties to be applied to those who indulge in sectarian behaviour on or off the field.
Definition of Sectarianism
Sectarianism is easy to recognise, but can be difficult to define. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a person is sectarian if he or she adheres in a bigoted or narrow-minded fashion to a sect or body of persons who have agreed upon particular religious doctrines or practices. In the context of football, we should be more concerned with the actions and words of individuals rather than their beliefs as such. In Scottish football, the particular problem that must be addressed relates to the divide between club supporters claiming to be attached to the Protestant and Catholic faiths. Whilst recognising that there can be other manifestations of sectarian behaviour towards other religious groups, the Working Group agreed that this particular strategy must focus on the intra-Christian divisions which manifest themselves within Scottish football. However, other forms of negative behaviour related to faith or religion should be tackled as part of wider efforts to address discrimination in football and society in general.
This Sectarianism Strategy is designed to focus on intra-Christian religious prejudice within Scottish football and introduce a series of measures to tackle any forms of discrimination, defamation, harassment, or abuse.
This includes - but is not limited to - physical, verbal, or written abuse, including the publication or display of discriminatory or defamatory materials, the chanting of sectarian songs, or any act of violence directed towards an individual, a group of people, or property.
Strategy Design
In designing the strategy, the SIF Working Group were keen to adopt an approach which attacked sectarian problems at their origin. Hence the need for educational and promotional initiatives, and the reinforcing of positive behaviour exhibited by football fans themselves. It was also felt important to work with football clubs and their players, as these were seen by fans to be the most authoritative sources of messages which influence their actions. As part of the overall effort to influence behaviour, there nevertheless has to be a role for sanctions to deal with and discourage specific incidents of unacceptable behaviour. New measures such as Football Banning Orders will be important, as will be the training of stewards at football grounds.
The result is that the Working Group have produced a comprehensive and co-ordinated strategy which will require the active involvement of a number of organisations if it is to be successful. The Strategy consists of 8 Action Points set out in the following pages.