Rise in reports of discrimination in football, says Kick It Out

Incidents of discrimination in English professional and grassroots football have increased, according to the anti-discrimination body Kick It Out.

The organisation says 184 reports of discrimination were submitted to them from August to 28 December 2014.

That is 48 more than the 136 grievances received by Kick it Out in the same period during the 2013-14 season.

Racism (117) and anti-Semitic abuse (32) were the most common forms of discrimination reported.

There were also 13 reports of sexism, compared with two during the whole of last season. Reports of discrimination based on sexual orientation also rose, from five to 15.

The incidents happened at all levels of English football and also involved professional players and social media, where there were 73 reports of football-related hate crime.

The figures are released during a time when police are investigating racist chanting at St Pancras station by men thought to be Chelsea fans and after an incident of alleged racism by Blues supporters on the Paris Metro.