Kick It Out report reveals rise in ‘incidents of hate’ in football with social media attacks of prime concern

HATE in football is on the rise, according to a new report.

Anti-discrimination body Kick It Out say incidents happen every week in the game due to “worrying levels of hate and prejudice in society”.

And the report singles out social media as the most significant area of trouble, with an 18 per cent increase in reported incidents from last season.

For the fourth consecutive term, Kick It Out saw a rise in the number of reports it received relating to discrimination, with an overall increase of 2.5 per cent from the 2014-15 campaign.

In total some 402 incidents were called in, up from 393 the year before.

Social media was the biggest mover with 194 reports, 39 per cent of which were to do with race – the biggest area of insult.

A person’s faith made up 34 per cent of incidents reported while sexual orientation was responsible for 16 per cent of discrimination.

Burnley striker Andre Gray was recently charged with bringing the game into disrepute for homophobic remarks he tweeted in 2012.

Some 135 reports of discrimination took place in the professional game, with a whopping 86 per cent increase in those involving players, managers and club staff.

Kick It Out chairman Lord Herman Ouseley said: “There’s vulnerability at this moment in time.

“Young people are vulnerable to the increased levels of prejudice and hate which has been evidenced by increases in reported hate crimes and incidents.”

The figures collected by Kick It Out have risen every year since 2012-13.

Of the 135 incidents to do with the professional game, 122 involved fans.

There were 73 at grassroots level, a two per cent fall.