Aston Villa Faces Legal Threat Over Fan Ban

Aston Villa may face legal action after safety officials decided to stop Israeli fans from attending next month’s Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv, The Telegraph has reported.

Lawyers have accused the club’s management of breaking UK equality laws by allowing the match to take place at Villa Park while banning 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 this action could breach the Equality Act 2010.

UKLFI argues that the decision is direct discrimination against Israelis, which is strictly forbidden under Section 29(1) of the Act.

The restriction came after Birmingham City Council’s Safety Advisory Group ruled that no away supporters would be allowed at the game due to conditions in the stadium’s safety certificate.

The ruling was supported by West Midlands Police after a “thorough risk assessment” classified the game as high risk. The assessment referred to previous incidents involving Maccabi Tel Aviv fans during a Europa League match against Ajax in Amsterdam last year.

In its letter, UKLFI warned Aston Villa that if it failed to find a “lawful way forward”, the group could take the matter to the Equality and Human Rights Commission for enforcement action.

Jonathan Turner, Chief Executive of UK Lawyers for Israel, told The Telegraph:
“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 has placed Aston Villa in a difficult position, as the club must balance safety concerns with its legal duty to prevent discrimination. The issue adds tension ahead of the much-anticipated Europa League clash at Villa Park.