Ally McCoist’s Cop Out After Tuesday’s Troubling Comments

Ally McCoist sparked controversy with his comments regarding the new hate crime bill in Scotland, particularly in relation to the upcoming Glasgow Derby.

His initial statement on TalkSPORT’s breakfast show, telling he and thousands of others would be “committing a breach” of this bill during the match, has raised serious concerns and questions over his comments.

The hate crime bill, designed to protect individuals from threats and abusive behaviour that incites hatred against protected characteristics, is a significant step toward fostering a more inclusive and respectful society.

McCoist’s remarks, however, highlight a troubling perspective that undermines the efforts to combat hate speech and behaviour in sports and beyond.

His subsequent attempt to backtrack on these comments, by indicating he would not attend the match after all and attributing the controversy to a misunderstanding, does little to address the underlying issue.

He, in fact, tried to poke a joke at Alan Brazil rather than address the comments.

He began: “I’m actually over it, I seem to have upset a few people.”

Asked on TalkSPORT by Alan Brazil if he was going to the game, where he claimed he’d “breach” the hate crime, he said: “No, I’m away with the kids for a couple of days.

“People are accusing me of doing this or doing that.

“But there’s been a change of plans, I’m going away for a few days.

“But a few of my older boys will be there, I’ll be watching it, and I’m sure I’ll get a text or two from you.”

So instead of addressing his comments head on, he has opted to try and joke about them. At the very least he could have told us what he meant since people have been accusing him of ‘this’ and ‘that’.

It is essential for public figures, especially those associated with influential platforms like McCoist, to recognise the impact of their words and the responsibility they bear in promoting a culture of respect and tolerance. Ally’s words yesterday and today are very poor.