Celtic has released an official statement regarding the UK Government’s proposed guidelines for fans travelling to matches. The guidelines, issued by the Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain, have been met with widespread criticism for their draconian measures and blatant infringement on civil liberties.
Celtic FC’s Official Statement:
“Celtic FC are closely monitoring the proposed new rules for fans travelling to matches on public hire vehicles, which have been issued by the Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain.
Celtic has discussed these proposals with groups representing the interests of supporters travelling to matches, including the Celtic Supporters’ Association, the Affiliation of Registered Supporters’ Clubs and our supporters’ groups in Ireland.
The Club shares our supporters’ serious concerns that these proposed measures would do nothing more than demonise football fans, unnecessarily targeting one particular sport and its supporters.
Supporters are the lifeblood of the game, with thousands each weekend contributing positively to the sport in Scotland, yet these proposals would negatively affect a large proportion of supporters travelling to matches.
Celtic will engage robustly with the consultation process, outlining the Club’s deep concerns with the proposals consulted upon.”
The statement comes as a breath of fresh air for fans who have been feeling increasingly marginalised and criminalised by the authorities. Celtic has rightly pointed out that these proposals do nothing but demonise football fans, targeting one particular sport and its supporters. The club has also assured fans that it will engage “robustly” with the consultation process, outlining its deep concerns.
This is a football issue that transcends club loyalties. Fans from all clubs must stand united to oppose these measures. The consultation is calling for responses from relevant stakeholders, which includes every fan who has ever cheered for their team, bought a ticket, or travelled to an away game.
However, it’s crucial to point out that while Celtic’s statement is welcome, the club could be doing more in general to prohibit the incredibly intrusive and archaic way that Police Scotland are already treating supporters. The relationship between fans and authorities has been fraught for years, and it’s high time that clubs like Celtic take a more proactive role in defending the rights and freedoms of their supporters.
Celtic’s statement is a promising start, but there’s more work to be done. The club, along with its fans, needs to be at the forefront of the fight against these oppressive measures. Only then can we hope to protect the beautiful game from becoming a police state.
