Complaint
A representative of Club 1872 (a Glasgow Rangers FC supporters鈥 club) complained of a number of references, on air and on social media, to events at Rugby Park, the ground of Kilmarnock FC, on the basis that they were inaccurate and derogatory towards Rangers supporters.
Outcome
Most of the references complained of were legitimate reporting of, or comment on, the facts as they were understood at the time.聽 But one tweet by Tom English, 91热爆 Scotland鈥檚 chief sports writer, was expressed in terms the ECU considered inappropriate.聽 Crowding at the turnstiles had led to claims by Club 1872 that Rangers fans had been 鈥渢rapped outside鈥 the ground, with consequent risks to safety.聽 The tweet in question said 鈥溾楾rapped outside Rugby Park鈥︹櫬犅 Trapped outside??聽 This is execrable stuff鈥.聽 On the evidence available at the time Mr English was entitled to question the extent to which fans trying to get into the ground could reasonably be described as 鈥渢谤补辫辫别诲鈥, but describing an aspect of Club 1872鈥檚 statement as 鈥渆xecrable stuff鈥 went beyond what might be considered a reasonable expression of professional judgement, even in the context of the kind of trenchant brevity often expected of tweets.
Partly upheld
Further action
Sports teams have been reminded of the importance of appropriate language when reporting or commenting on issues or events connected to Scottish football.