The Football Association (FA) has suspended referee match observer Brian Curson for nine weeks and fined him £200 after an independent disciplinary commission found him guilty of making discriminatory remarks during a League One match.

The sanction followed an investigation into comments Curson allegedly made while attending Luton Town’s fixture against Rotherham United at Kenilworth Road in November 2025.

According to the FA, Curson was charged with acting improperly and using abusive or insulting words in breach of Rule E3.1. The charge was classified as an aggravated breach under Rule E3.2 because the remarks included references, either directly or indirectly, to ethnic origin, race or nationality.

Curson denied the charge, saying he could not recall making the comments. However, an independent Regulatory Commission found the allegation proven following a hearing.

The commission said it was satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that Curson had made the discriminatory remarks.

Reports by British media said the comments were made during a conversation about football in China and Japan. Witnesses told the commission that Curson made a remark suggesting that supporters from the two countries looked alike.

Curson disputed the allegation and pointed to inconsistencies in witnesses’ accounts about whether the comments referred to Chinese or Japanese people.

The commission nevertheless concluded that the evidence established the breach.

In addition to the nine-week suspension and £200 fine, Curson was ordered to attend a mandatory education programme and received a formal warning about his future conduct.

The suspension applies to all football and football-related activity.

The FA sought a time-based suspension, taking into account Curson’s position as a referee match observer rather than a player.

The commission noted that a player found guilty of a comparable offence would typically face a suspension of between nine and 12 matches.

It decided that a nine-week ban was appropriate after considering Curson’s experience and responsibilities within football.

Curson has been involved in the game for more than 40 years and had observed hundreds of matches. He no longer works for Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), now known as Pro Ref, according to British media reports.

The case reinforces the FA’s disciplinary rules against discriminatory language and conduct in football, which apply not only to players but also to officials and other individuals involved in the game.

The FA has continued to pursue disciplinary action against individuals found to have breached its rules on discrimination, as football authorities face pressure to address racism and other forms of abuse across the sport.