Homophobic chanting seems to have spread from the pitch to the internet this month after a bigoted Facebook group slammed Liverpool footballer Fernando Torres.
The group entitled ‘I really think Fernando Torres is a Lady Boy!!’ was posted on the social networking site earlier this month with a public chant about both his sexuality and gender-identity.
Within days the group had attracted more than 600 members and sparked a number of posted comments all referring to the 24-year-old Spanish footballer as being both ‘gay’ and a ‘transvestite’.
One of the chants left on the site stated: “He’s half a boy and half a girl, Torres Torres, he looks just like a transvestite, Torres Torres, he wears a frock, he loves the c##k, he sells his a##e on Albert Dock.”
It is believed that a number of Facebook members have lodged complaints about the page both with Facebook and the Football Association, asking for action to be taken and the website content to be removed.
An official from Liverpool FC commented: “The Club were informed by The FA about an offensive page on Facebook regarding Fernando Torres. The FA has already complained to the Metropolitan Police and we have also contacted Facebook in order to get the offensive material removed. The Club deems abuse in any form, whether written or verbal, as unacceptable and will do all we can to help eradicate such behaviour. Any fans found to be abusive towards other supporters or players at Anfield, will be removed immediately and the appropriate action taken.”
An FA spokesperson commented: “The FA doesn’t have any jurisdiction outside of football. When we receive complaints about websites outside of football we immediately refer it to the Metropolitan Police who follow it up.
“We have already done that with this complaint. In previous cases we have found that this usually results in the offensive material being removed.”
Although, at the time of going to print, the Facebook page was still active and member counts were steadily increasing with further homophobic abuse remarks. The start of the 2007/08 season saw a change in football ground regulations with homophobic abuse now deemed punishable and The FA have been supporting this breakthrough further with the Gay Football Supporters Network by providing Liaison Officers who can advise and educate Premier and Football League clubs on homophobia in the game.
The FA were also instrumental in supporting and advising Hampshire Police when they arrested nine fans of Tottenham Hotspur following complaints of abuse aimed at Sol Campbell.