Belgian sports court says antisemitic chants by football supporters were offensive

Belgian’s sports arbitration court (BAS/CBAS) said that antisemitic chants by football supporters of Club Bruges to those of Anderlecht were offensive.

The court was deciding on a case brought by the Coordinating Committee of Belgian Jewish Organisations (CCOJB), EJC’s affiliate, and the Forum of Jewish Organisations (FJO).

On the day in question, Bruges supporters chanted “Whoever isn’t Jewish, please jump » and “All Jews are gay”.

The Anderlecht club is in an area of Brussels which once had a sizeable Jewish population.

The case was brought to the Sport Arbitration Court after the football association rejected claims that the chants were antisemitic and homophobic.

“We sincerely hope that by this decision the managements of each club but equally all football supporters in the Kingdom will understand that in a society which has evolved, a sign of its democratic vitality is that certain practices should disappear,” the CCOJB and the FJO said in a statement.

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