SCOTLAND’s football authorities have been ‘completely left in the dark’ over how the country’s controversial new hate crime legislation will be enforced inside stadiums, it’s being claimed.
Rangers host Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday in what will be the first Old Firm showdown since the new law was introduced this week.
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The crackdown came into force on Monday, April 1, leaving many puzzled over how it will be policed.
Rangers hero Ally McCoist came out in protest of the controversial change while on-air for talkSPORT and came under fire for his takes after he suggested he will break the law along with thousands of Light Blues fans inside Ibrox at the weekend.
He said at the time: “I can guarantee you, next Sunday at Ibrox, I, along with 48,000 will be committing a breach of that hate bill in the particular Rangers vs Celtic game we are all going to. It is madness.”
McCoist the quickly backtracked on his comments and insisted he there’s no chance he will be at risk of breaking the new law because he won’t even be attending the match.
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He said: “People are accusing me of going to break this act and I’m not even going to be at the game. There’s been a change of plans, I’m away for a couple of days.”
There are clear doubts over the guidelines regarding the government‘s attempts to crack down on ‘hatred or prejudice’ speech.
And Scotland‘s football authorities aren’t exempt from the confusion as they’ve been left with very little information on how to proceed going forward.
That’s according to the Daily Record – who claim there were NO talks between Holyrood and Hampden bosses ahead of the controversial law’s introduction.
It’s said that there have been no new guidelines issued from cops ahead of Sunday’s match at Ibrox, leaving the SFA and SPFL in doubt over what’s to expect from fans inside the stadium and how they will be policed.
A source said: “There has been absolutely no engagement from the Scottish government with regards how this new law might manifest itself inside football stadiums.
“As many people have commented it appears to be close to impossible for the police to enforce but we have been completely left in the dark over what to expect now that the new legislation is in place.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Chief Constable has said Police Scotland is used to enforcing new legislation, with officers supported with the training and operational guidance they need to apply the law in a measured way using their discretion and common sense.”
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