Cardiff City Football Club is working to identify an individual who is believed to have made a racist gesture from their seat in Ninian Stand Block 116 in the 55th minute of Saturday’s fixture with Lincoln City.
The Club has a zero-tolerance approach to racism and all forms of discrimination. We are committed to doing our part to eliminate it from our game and society.
Initial reports had implied that there may have been misinterpretation, but having completed an internal investigation and sought witness statements, it is our firm opinion that this is definitively not the case.
The Club has reported the incident to the relevant governing bodies and South Wales Police. We ask supporters to help with any information pertaining to the individual’s identity, or indeed for the person to make themselves known to the Club amidst an ongoing police investigation.
We are disgusted by this repugnant behaviour and the impact it has had on those affected.
Cardiff City Football Club urges all supporters to always report any behaviour that they believe to be discriminatory so that procedure can be followed and perpetrators charged if found guilty. Fans are reminded that we applaud and encourage passionate support; however, we do not tolerate discrimination, abuse, foul and abusive language or anti-social or threatening behaviour. This includes discrimination towards any of the protected characteristics listed in the Equality Act 2010.
If supporters experience any form of anti-social behaviour, abuse or discrimination inside the stadium please help us to eliminate it by reporting it to the nearest steward, texting 07484 070422 anonymously, or by reporting it via the Club’s ‘Don’t’ wait: report it hotline’. It is this hotline that was used by a supporter this past weekend to highlight the incident; subsequent conversation with the complainant helped us identify the perpetrator’s location and tighten our line of enquiry.
When reporting, please provide as much detail of any offence as possible. This may include specific seat details if applicable, descriptions of persons involved, and exact words and phrases wherever possible.
The Club awaits further dialogue with the Football Association over this incident. Match officials initially made the Club aware of an alleged offence during a stoppage in the game, followed by a further report of anti-social behaviour in which a vape was thrown at the Lincoln City goalkeeper.
