Three Year Football Ban For Racist Comment

---

As well as a lifetime ban from Chelsea

A man has been given a three-year football banning order preventing him from attending any regulated football match in the UK and abroad after he was arrested by the Metropolitan Police's Football Intelligence Unit.

Stephen Guy Fitzwater, 55 yrs of Hartland Road, Isleworth, appeared at Hendon Magistrates' Court on Monday 30 April, where he pleaded guilty to racially aggravated abuse under the Section 5 Public Order Act 1986.

On 15 April Fitzwater attended the FA Cup semi final at Wembley between Chelsea and Tottenham. He was in the Chelsea supporters end when he made a racially offensive comment towards Didier Drogba. The comment was heard by a number of other Chelsea supporters who took offence and reported him to a steward.

Fitzwater was arrested by Metropolitan Police officers at the stadium and subsequently charged. He appeared at Hendon Magistrates' Court on 30 April and pleaded guilty.

The banning order runs from 30 April 2012 to 29 April 2015.

A spokesperson for Chelsea FC said:

"Chelsea Football Club and the overwhelming majority of our fans abhor all forms of discrimination and believe they have no place in our club or our communities.

"We will be taking the strongest possible action against this individual, who has received a football banning order along with a lifetime ban from Chelsea Football Club.

"We would like to thank Chelsea fans for reporting this incident and others which occurred during the semi-final, as a result of which a number of persons have been banned for using racial and abusive language.

"We would also like to thank the police and criminal justice system for their hard work in pursuing the case from prosecution to conviction."

May 3, 2012