Anti-bigotry report 'suppressed'

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The Scottish Executive has been accused of deliberately suppressing a report about sectarianism in football.

The report details claims from fans that Strathclyde Police officers are making the problem of sectarianism worse rather than helping solve it.

It was carried out for the executive by the director of football studies at Glasgow University, Bert Moorhouse.

In a statement, the executive denied that it "in any way tried to delay or suppress publication of this report".

Football phone-in

Mr Moorhouse said it should have been published last year but his work was withheld.

He said: "I wasn't pleased that my report was not published.

"I was told the day before it was not published that it was not being published.

"I feel the report has been very badly handled by the Scottish Executive."

The report has seen the light of day now because The Scottish Sun has obtained it under the Freedom of Information Act.

The paper claims that officers who support Rangers or Celtic are accused of taunting fans of other clubs.

Police are also said to turn a blind eye to Old Firm fans' sectarianism.

Strathclyde Police said the document was no more academic than a football phone-in.