Leeds United wants songs related to Jimmy Savile to be treated as tragedy chanting by the Crown Prosecution Service. The club has called on the CPS and football authorities to take a harder line on chants relating to Jimmy Savile by making them public order offences. Jimmy Savile, who was born in Leeds and spent a large portion of his life in the city, was one of Britain's most notorious sex offenders and died in 2011.
His name has been sung by both home and away fans at Elland Road in the years since his death. The Crown Prosecution Service outlines tragedy chanting as 'tragedy-related abuse' which references fatal accidents or stadium disasters that involve fans, players or officials of rival clubs. Savile chants are not covered by the legislation currently as they do not relate to football.
Leeds United Football Club have lobbied and would be fully supportive of Jimmy Savile chants being classed as tragedy chanting and a hate crime. The club's supporters are subjected to these sickening taunts at every match by opposition fans, which should not be happening in today's game and are a disgrace to the victims of Jimmy Savile's abuse.
Leeds United wants the law to be broadened so that it includes chants relating to Jimmy Savile. A Leeds United spokesperson said, 'Leeds United Football Club have lobbied and would be fully supportive of Jimmy Savile chants being classed as tragedy chanting and a hate crime. ' It remains unknown whether the Crown Prosecution Service will agree to broaden the law to include Jimmy Savile chants as tragedy chanting.
Equally, the club disapproves of retaliatory chants from our own supporters. The club is pleased this is finally being brought to the forefront by the media and hope that this can be the first step in helping to eradicate these chants, with support of the relevant governing bodies.