A shocked West Ham fan has sparked debate on social media after claiming she was searched under the cup of her bra by a steward before a game at the London Stadium.
The Hammers supporter says she was intimately frisked as she attended the Carabao Cup victory over Bolton at the venue midweek. And her observations of how she was treated led to other fans revealing details of other seemingly inappropriate searches.
One young woman was said to have been told she “smelled lovely” when she was searched by a male steward at the same game. And another tweeter confided: “My mum is 67 and was thoroughly searched beyond intimacy. My partner went straight through as the female steward talking at the time.”
In the message that prompted the discussion, the disgruntled woman wrote: “I’m a West Ham home supporter got searched in detail around bra area under cup and between at Bolton tonight. I’m 50-year-old woman in smart office clothes and was on my own – meeting friends inside – and arrived early. Are young teens/girls treated like this and also some women don’t wear a bra and so exposed. Didn’t get steward number, as a bit shocked. Did that really just happen? Not happy, thanks.”
The message was shared on the Twitter feed of Amanda Jacks, from the Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF). Amanda is a FSF case worker who assists fans with policing and stewarding issues and offer referrals to specialist lawyers for legal help. The Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF) is the democratic organisation representing the rights of fans and arguing the views of football supporters in England and Wales.
The complaint comes after female fans were forced to show their bras to stewards before Stevenage’s match against Grimsby Town earlier this season.
Away supporters were said to have been ordered to lift their tops while queuing to get into the League Two fixture. Grimsby Town fans group the Mariners Trust accused stewards of asking to feel the under wiring of any bras during what they called a “gross invasion of privacy”.