Exeter City is proud to support the EFL's Together Against Racism campaign, running from 16-26 October.
The campaign brings together the EFL and all 72 Clubs to challenge racism wherever it occurs and reinforces the message that it has no place in football, online or in our communities.
At Exeter City we are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels welcome and able to enjoy football free from racism and other forms of discrimination.
Our matchday on Tuesday against Crewe Alexandra will be our dedicated matchday where we will show our support for the campaign and reinforce the message that racism has no place in football or society. We will be putting content on our social media and players will be wearing campaign warm-up t-shirts before the match.
Exeter City is committed to the work we undertake in anti-racism. Through the work of City Community Trust in the Community, matchday messaging and social media content we continue to play our part in tackling racism and promoting inclusion across our Club and community.
The punishment is severe. Last season an Exeter City supporter was taken to court and received a suspended prison sentence and a football banning order for Racist abuse towards Exeter City staff at the Devon Derby against Plymouth Argyle at St James Park.
A key focus of this year's campaign is encouraging supporters to report racism as soon as it happens directly to Clubs.
Reporting incidents in this way can make a significant difference. EFL data from last season shows that 63% of live racism incidents reported directly to Clubs led to individuals being identified and action being taken and was over twice as likely to deliver an offender ID than a post-match report.
Last season, almost nine in every 10 successful identifications came from incidents reported directly to Clubs on matchday. By reporting concerns immediately, supporters help Clubs, stewards and authorities take quicker action, gather evidence and identify those responsible.
Supporters can report racism and discriminatory/poor behaviour directly to Exeter City on a matchday by speaking to the nearest steward or texting “HELP ECFC” to 07356071420. The quicker you report this, the quicker we can act on it.
Together, we can help ensure football remains a place where everyone feels they belong.
Exeter City’s Operations Manager, Senior Safeguarding and EDI Lead, Kay Crawford, said: “The club takes all matters of racism and discriminatory behaviour, in any form, extremely seriously, and we will always push for the toughest possible sanctions against supporters found guilty of such offences.
“Everyone has a responsibility to challenge racism and discrimination, and that includes reporting anything we see or hear on a matchday. We understand that it can sometimes be difficult to speak up, but reporting incidents as soon as they happen can make a real difference and help us take action against those responsible.
“We want St James Park to be a place where everyone feels safe, welcome and able to enjoy watching their team, regardless of their background or identity. Racism and discrimination have absolutely no place at our club, in football or in society, and we all have a part to play in making sure that message is clear.
“Through our work with the EFL, City Community Trust and our supporters, we will continue to promote inclusion, challenge discriminatory behaviour and ensure that anyone who experiences or witnesses an incident knows how to report it. We encourage supporters to speak to a steward or use our matchday reporting text service so that we can act as quickly as possible.”
Ahead of the Together Against Racism campaign, Trevor Birch, Chief Executive of the EFL, said: "Football has a unique ability to bring communities together and give people a sense of belonging. Racism undermines that bond, which is why it remains critically important that the EFL, its Clubs, players, staff and supporters stand united against it wherever it is seen or heard.
“EFL data demonstrates that when incidents are reported at the time—through Club channels, to stewards or to the police—there is a significantly greater prospect of identifying those responsible and holding them to account. Last season, 51 people received bans and a further 15 attended education courses. The message is clear: the more information that is reported, the better the chance of ensuring that acts of hate have consequences.
“Discrimination has no place in our game, online or in our communities. The EFL remains resolute in its commitment to confronting racism in all its forms.”
Every Club in the EFL contributes to this success story - whether through undertaking community anti racism and discrimination activity, initiatives, fan education work, fan engagement, working with authorities and the EFL Equality Code of Practice.