Aston Villa faces legal action over ban on Israeli fans at Europa League clash

Aston Villa is reportedly facing potential legal action following a decision by safety authorities to bar Israeli fans from attending next month’s Europa League clash against Maccabi Tel Aviv, The Telegraph has revealed.

Legal representatives have accused the club’s board of breaching UK equality laws by allowing the fixture to proceed at Villa Park while enforcing a ban on Israeli supporters.

According to The Telegraph, the advocacy group UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) has written to the club’s president and co-chairs, warning that the measure could place Aston Villa in violation of its obligations under the Equality Act 2010.

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The group contends that the ban amounts to direct discrimination against Israelis, which is expressly prohibited under Section 29(1) of the Act.

The restriction was introduced after Birmingham City Council’s Safety Advisory Group ruled that away supporters would not be permitted to attend the game, citing terms of the stadium’s safety certificate.

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The decision, endorsed by West Midlands Police, followed a “thorough risk assessment” that classified the match as high risk, referencing previous disturbances involving Maccabi Tel Aviv fans during a Europa League fixture with Ajax in Amsterdam last year.

In its correspondence, UKLFI cautioned that if Aston Villa failed to find a “lawful way forward”, the group might escalate the matter to the Equality and Human Rights Commission for enforcement action.

Jonathan Turner, Chief Executive of UK Lawyers for Israel, told The Telegraph:

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Under the Equality Act, there is no ‘get out’ clause for discrimination on safety grounds. If Maccabi Tel Aviv fans are to be banned, then Aston Villa fans should also be banned, and the match played behind closed doors.

The situation places Aston Villa in a legal and ethical dilemma as it seeks to balance public safety with anti-discrimination obligations under British law ahead of the highly anticipated Europa League fixture.