03 March 2023 , 14:50
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A Chelsea supporter has been banned from attending football matches for three years and fined after making a racist gesture at Tottenham forward Son Heung-min.
The disgraceful incident occurred during last August's 2-2 draw between the Blues and Spurs at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea launched an investigation and identified the fan via images which were shared on social media and flagged to Kick It Out, the organisation tackling racism in football.
Thomas Burchell, from Croydon, was shown to have made a racist gesture at South Korea international Son while he was preparing to take a corner. The 30-year-old fan admitted to police that he made the gesture when he was presented with the evidence.
Burchell was fined £726 at City of London Magistrates' Court - an increased sum in light of the racially aggravated element of the crime. He was also slapped with a banning order preventing him from attending live football matches for three years.
Kalsoom Shah, Senior Crown Prosecutor, said: "Football is a passionate sport but racist abuse will never be allowed to mar the game. We know people who are responsible for these actions are part of a small minority and we will continue to encourage anyone who sees or experiences this kind of behaviour to report it to the police and help us rid football of racism. Burchell's offensive gesture means that he can longer see his team play live."
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Lionel Idan, Chief Crown Prosecutor for London South and National Hate Crime Lead, added: "The CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) has made it clear that all forms of hate crime will not be tolerated whether within or outside a football ground. Where our legal test is met, we will not hesitate to take people to court and seek harsher sentences so that justice is served.
Are football clubs and social media companies doing enough to tackle racism in football? Have your say in the comments.
Son Heung-min was targeted with racist abuse while scoring for Tottenham against West Ham in February (Getty Images)"Racist gestures and abuse are not just hurtful, they prevent other fans and players from enjoying the sport and cause real damage to the heart of the game. The CPS continues to play a crucial role in tackling such crimes and making our national game inclusive and safe for all to watch and play."
Son has been targeted with abhorrent racial abuse on numerous occasions throughout his time in the Premier League. In February, Spurs called for social media companies to take action after the former Bayer Leverkusen winger was subjected to "utterly reprehensible" online barbs.
Kick It Out echoed these pleas after the abuse, which took place during Tottenham's 2-0 victory over West Ham, which Son scored in. The organisation's statement also made reference to the horrendous abuse Brentford striker Ivan Toney was targeted with after a fixture against Arsenal one week earlier.