Former Brighton footballer convicted of making homophobic gesture to fans

Former Brighton and Hove Albion footballer Colin Kazim-Richards has been found guilty of making a homophobic gesture towards fans.

Kazim-Richards, 27, gave his address as Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, but he currently lives in Turkey where he plays for Bursaspor.

He was accused of making the offensive gesture while playing for Blackburn Rovers – on loan from Brighton – at the Amex in a game against the Seagulls.

Colin Kazim-Richards

The Championship match took place on Tuesday 12 February last year.

Brighton magistrates were told that Kazim-Richards mimicked pulling his shorts down and putting his left arm behind his bottom.

The player dismissed it as a bit of banter with the fans who had been chanting “you fat bastard” and singing “you’re fat and you know you are” at him.

Kazim-Richards, who denied the charge, was fined £750 and ordered to pay £620 court costs and a £75 victim surcharge.

Sussex Police said that it was the first conviction for a claim of homophobia against a professional footballer.

PC Darren Balkham, who polices at football in Brighton, said: “We believe this is a first time we have fined a professional footballer for homophobia.

“Obviously this fine is a positive outcome to show we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour.

“However, it is very disappointing that a footballer like Kazim-Richards, who used to play for Brighton and Hove Albion and has been an ambassador for the Kick It Out campaign, has been fined for this kind of behaviour.

“We will always challenge reports of homophobic intolerance whether it be on the streets of Sussex or in a football ground.”