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Celtic’s Statement Refuting Claims Our Fans Are Antisemitic Is Timely And Welcome.

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Image for Celtic’s Statement Refuting Claims Our Fans Are Antisemitic Is Timely And Welcome.

Thank you to the club for responding to today’s article and those on other fan media outlets who raised with them the matter of the Israeli manager making claims of antisemitism against our fans.

That comment was disgraceful and without foundation.

I said I hoped Celtic would respond, and a spokesperson told Celtic fan media the following; “Any suggestion that the Celtic support is anti-Semitic is totally inaccurate. Celtic is a diverse club, proud to be open to all, ever since its formation in 1888.”

I would have liked to have seen a more public response – something issued through the club’s own website, something that would have got everyone’s attention and sent a clear message to anyone repeating that slander – but the fact is, the mainstream press is running the story and so it carries similar weight. Celtic has spoken. Celtic has refuted the central claim.

And so Celtic has stood up for the fans and protected their reputation and image. That they issued the statement through fan media outlets is in some ways all the more fitting for that, it’s telling the fans directly that “we know who we are.”

That is all we could ever have asked for and I am personally grateful to them for having done so. Every one of us should be.

This club can be slow to respond at times, but my article went up earlier this afternoon and other fan media outlets similarly raised their concerns and Celtic has answered us, all of us, and the wider Celtic community.

That’s perfect. The club has refuted this lie and we can move on from that.

The Israeli manager should be put on notice for talking such utter rot, and I’m certain that Celtic will have conveyed that to him and his national association via more private means, as is standard. That the club does take the allegation seriously can be measured by their swift response to it.

Outstanding, Celtic. Thank you.

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21 comments

  • Jorge says:

    I disagree. I am completely underwhelmed by the statement. I find it anodyne and lacking in any sense of outrage. Where is the demand for a retraction and an apology and the threat of legal action for the baseless accusation of antisemitism? Shame on the board.

    • James Forrest says:

      Oh man …

      The Celtic board can’t threaten to sue on behalf of fans. It was the fans who were accused not the club.

      The statement has done what it needed to do, I’m pretty happy.

    • The Silver Fhox says:

      Agreed.

  • John scullion says:

    Thank you Celtic…a cub open to all…Hail Hail.

  • Joe Brannan says:

    I think that UEFA & FIFA should seriously look at the status of Israel in terms of their position within a European context.
    Israel is situated within the Middle East not Europe and they should be regarded as such by the world football authorities.
    Anyone who has made factual commemts regarding Israel and their actions towards Palestinians are regarded by them as antisemetic.
    Even Nelson Mandela critisized them on numerous occasions, particularly on their aparthied towards Palestinians and Mandela knew exactly what aparthied consists of having rose up and fought against it for years.
    Was he anti-semitic. ???

    • goodghuy says:

      There is absolutely no way Israel could play against Middle East nations due to their antisemitism towards Jews. I think it’s a lot safer for the Israelis to play in Europe don’t you ? . I mean you have a country like Iran who want to wipe Jews off the face of earth, so how could Israel play against rogue nations like that. FIFA and Uefa would absolutely not allow them, I’m happy enough for them to play in Europe.

    • John S says:

      The reason Israel is in ‘Europe’ is because of the naked hostility in the region.

    • Roonsa says:

      Joe –

      You are quite right to point that out. It does seem to be the case that any criticism aimed at the Israeli govt is seen as anti Semitic. I am no fan of the Israeli govt and the way they handle the situation in the West Bank and Gaza. Yet, I know in my heart that I am not anti Semitic. It’s just not the case at all.

      I hate the British Govt. I hate the Tories. Does that make me anything other than someone who can see the Tories for what they are and, as a result, despise everything about them?

      It’s all too silly and out of control. Sometimes I feel it’s best just to keep my head down and my mouth shut. But that’s what the Israeli govt wants, isn’t it? All these people across the World who wield their power in nefarious ways want to shut down the dissenting voices. Wait till Trump gets voted in again this time next year. You think it’s bad now? Honestly. I am officially becoming a hermit before that clownshoe gets the top job again.

  • Bob (original) says:

    That’s encouraging.

    As we’re at it: maybe this lull [hopefully] could give everyone time to breathe,

    and it might be worthwhile if CFC considers boosting its PR resources?

    There has to be a better way to deal with club issues and supporters,

    in a non-adversarial manner?

    …and to keep any discussions / disputes well away from the gutter SMSM?

  • Marky says:

    They had no choice but should’ve gone further imo

  • Roonsa says:

    Well done to all involved in having this message sent out.

  • John S says:

    The very action taken against the GB demonstrated the club’s position. This is what the media should be extolling. The Israel manager’s opinion is understandable in the circumstances but incorrect (admittedly, there were a few regrettable occasions). There are clubs in every country with problems to do with hardcore political and racial elements. Celtic is not one of them, indeed they acted. A ‘thank you’ from me too.
    Are other clubs, like Dundee have recently, finally going to take task with undesirables (Scotland’s problem is largely sectarianism) at football matches ?

  • Paul S says:

    What statement James? There’s no public comment on this anywhere. The most heinous attack on us Celtic supporters i can recall from anywhere. This requires the UTMOST condemnation. Celtic supporters are humantarian, we are predominantly socialist, we are anti-racist, ant-nazi, anti-facsist. We have been and still are on the end of the last acceptable form of intolerance on these islands in the form of anti-Irish racist and anti-catholic sectarian chanting on a regular basis. This is an appalling slur against us. We stand behind all unjust causes on this planet, we stand behind Nelson Mandela who proclaimed “our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinian people”, whilst the world bleeds it is devoid of great peacemakers, we have no Mandela, No Ghandi, No MLK, no JFK to speak of. The world cries out!! Black Lives Matter, Palestinian lives matter, Jewish lives matter. End this horror now.!

  • Effarr says:

    Celtic are only covering their own back here. Did they deny that the fans were anti-semitic when Bankier
    made the same accusation? Lazio is considered fascist because of its fans so Celtic don`t wish to be tarred with the same brush. They should contact the accuser and ask why no comment on the Nazi
    salutes that a certain other mob carries out and then demand that he retracts his statement.

  • SSMPM says:

    I happy enough with the response and that it’s not through a more public vehicle. The more attention we could bring to this right wing hater the more emboldened he, and the anti Celtic haters in our own country that would love to join in, would be. As you say I hope that the Celtic board take this outspoken fool’s allegation to the Israeli Association and in addition to the door of UEFA too.
    Further, Israel is in no way or near being a European country, it’s in the middle East.
    I understand why we considerately let them into our competitions to compete but like Netanyahu this fool’s, through this and previous comments, trying to run the region and inciting filthy lies and they’re, Israel, not even our neighbour.
    This is not the Eurovision Song Contest (sorry in advance to you Eurovision fans). Whatever’s next: enter Australia. HH

  • John L says:

    That idiot should throw mud at UEFA and not Celtic or our supporters, ask UEFA about their support for Ukraine and lack of it for the Palestinian people.

  • Paddybhoy67 says:

    Antizionism is not antisemitism.
    Shout it from the rooftops

  • Alastair says:

    The SFA should be backing us as well after all we are biggest club in the country

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