Tottenham Hotspur call on fans to stop using Y-word
Tottenham Hotspur have called on fans to stop using the Y-word following an in-depth consultation on the controversial issue.
The Premier League club, which has historically had close links with the Jewish community, said the move would help “every one of our supporters to feel included in the matchday experience”.
“It is clear the use of this term does not always make this possible, regardless of context and intention, and that there is a growing desire and acknowledgment from supporters that the Y-word should be used less or stop being used altogether,” Tottenham said.
“We recognise how these members of our fanbase feel and we also believe it is time to move on from associating this term with our club.”
Tottenham acknowledged that some supporters had adopted the Y-word “as a defence mechanism against antisemitic abuse” and “as a way to identify as a Spurs fan”.
But the club said it was widely accepted that in any other context it would be considered racist against Jewish people and therefore made some match-going fans uncomfortable.
Spurs said the club was also “aware of the growing cultural sensitivities globally” that had led other sports teams to change their names and visual identities “in recognition of evolving sentiment”.
Premiership Rugby’s Exeter Chiefs are dropping all Native American associations from their branding next season, while NFL franchise the Washington Redskins have been renamed the Washington Commanders.
Tottenham said their decision followed a two-stage consultation involving a survey of more than 20,000 fans and virtual focus groups.
The club have launched an online hub to explain the move and will include dedicated content in matchday programmes from this weekend onwards.
“We acknowledge that any reassessment of the use of this term needs to be a collaborative effort between the club and its fans,” Tottenham said.
“We shall be working to further outline the historical context of the term, to explain the offence it can cause and to embrace the times in which we now live to show why it can be considered inappropriate, regardless of context.”