Celtic says it will ban fans involved in protest at Dunhill Links Championship

Glasgow, Scotland (AP) — Celtic has strongly condemned fans who directed their protest towards the club's main shareholder, Dermot Desmond, during the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship held at St Andrews in Scotland on Saturday. Tennis balls bearing images of Desmond's face were thrown onto the golf course as he played the tournament.

The club deemed the protest as a "significant and unacceptable escalation" and announced they would indefinitely ban any fans involved. Furthermore, Celtic announced they would cease engagement with the supporter group, Celtic Fans Collective.

Celtic's statement emphasized that the club will not be intimidated or influenced by organized acts of disruption. Club chairman, the 56-time Scottish champion, emphasized that neither the club's governance nor its operations will be dictated by those intent on escalating their behavior to exert pressure on the club, its staff, directors, shareholders, or other associates.

Fans have previously staged protests against the club's management. Last year, a game against Dundee was halted when tennis balls and oranges were thrown onto the pitch. The Celtic Fans Collective aired footage of the protest on social media, stating that Dermot Desmond had been managing Celtic Football Club using his wealth to evade supporters and accountability. The group expressed their intention to send a message that such arrangements should cease.

Celtic described the incident as a breach of the dispute that extended beyond Celtic Park and football, impacting the prestigious venue of golf and tarnishing the club's reputation. The statement reiterated that the reputation of Celtic supporters belongs to the entire Celtic family, not to any self-appointed group. The club made it clear that no group has the right to undermine it in pursuit of its own agenda.