Court: ‘Football is not a religion but a lifestyle choice’

A Scottish man who claimed he was discriminated against because of his support for a football team has lost his case.

Edward McClung took legal action against construction firm Doosan Babcock and recruitment agency NRL, claiming he was not offered further work because he was a fan of Rangers Football Club.

But Employment Judge Lucy Wiseman ruled that his “belief” constitutes a personal “lifestyle choice”, and not a philosophical belief protected under law.

‘No larger consequences’

McClung told the Employment Tribunal: “I live my life in accordance with being a Rangers fan. I don’t go to church. I go to Rangers. It’s a belief to me.

“If people say their religion is protected, how many times do they go to church? I would argue it’s as important to me as someone who has a religion.”

But Judge Wiseman explained that his devotion does not have the required “level of cogency, seriousness, cohesion and importance”, with “no larger consequences for humanity as a whole”.

The judge stated that it instead resembles “support for a political party”, which has previously been established not to be a philosophical belief.

‘Privilege’

In 2018, the Institute spoke to former Newcastle and Chelsea midfielder Gavin Peacock about his life as a top footballer and why he entered ministry.

Peacock left school at 16 to play professionally for Queens Park Rangers, but he said “I wasn’t satisfied as I thought I would be, because football was my god”. After he was saved, he was able to continue with his career, no longer idolising football, but putting God at the centre.

Drawing comparisons between football and faith, he said that “nothing quite compares to going up there [the pulpit] on a Sunday, whether it’s 25 people or 2,500 people, and preaching God’s word. Because eternity and heaven and hell hangs in the balance and you’re dealing with people’s souls, and there’s no greater privilege”.