Sheffield Wednesday have been fined £12,500 following a racist incident targeting Coventry City’s Kasey Palmer during last season’s Championship match at Hillsborough.
Owls’ fan Edward Rabjohn, 21, was convicted in May and received a five-year ban from attending football matches.
The FA has also penalized Sheffield Wednesday, stating: “Sheffield Wednesday have been fined £12,500, warned, and ordered to implement an action plan for misconduct in relation to crowd control at their EFL Championship game against Coventry City on Saturday, January 20, 2024. Sheffield Wednesday admitted failing to ensure their spectators conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the 94th minute, refraining from improper, offensive, abusive, and insulting behavior, particularly with reference to ethnic origin, color, and race.”
An independent Regulatory Commission imposed the club’s sanctions after a hearing, in which the club admitted the charge and submitted a 432-page document to the FA.
The hearing detailed: “On January 21, 2024, The FA received a Referee Match Report Form from Anthony Blackhouse, the match referee, describing an incident in the 94th minute involving discriminatory behavior by a SWFC spectator towards Kasey Palmer. The incident was fully captured on footage. As Palmer approached the corner flag, a spectator in the fourth row of the Kop End made a monkey gesture and then immediately left the area.
“Palmer reported the gesture to the referee, who advised him that the allegation would be addressed after the match. The referee informed both managers, Danny Röhl and Mark Robins, and the Fourth Official, Matt Donoghue, notified the tunnel steward of the racial allegation and its location.”
Sheffield Wednesday stated, “Following a thorough investigation, the culprit was identified and brought to justice. In addition to the court sentence, this individual is now subject to a lifetime ban from all Sheffield Wednesday fixtures and events, with a possibility of attending a rehabilitation program in line with the EDI Code of Practice for all EFL Clubs after 10 years.
“As a community-focused, family football club, we condemn the abhorrent actions of this individual. We have an ongoing responsibility to ensure that our supporters, and anyone claiming to be supporters, conduct themselves appropriately at all times while following the team, both home and away.”