Ex-chief constable being investigated by IOPC over Israeli fan ban

A senior serving officer, who played a lead role in compiling the briefing, is under investigation for allegedly failing to ensure its accuracy.

The watchdog said the officer may not have accurately represented some information which could have resulted in the briefing “lacking impartiality”.

They are also examining whether the officer “may have failed to appropriately handle sensitive intelligence” contained in the report, before it was shared with SAG members.

The staff member, who was involved in researching and compiling intelligence for the game, is alleged to have sourced inaccurate information from AI searches and took no subsequent action to help ensure it was not included in briefings.

Two other senior serving officers who played important roles in the force’s planning for the game have been notified they are being investigated for potential misconduct.

It is alleged one was not sufficiently diligent in the exercise of their duties in overseeing the operation, including balancing operational needs alongside engaging with local Jewish communities, and that they displayed a lack of impartiality towards Maccabi fans in both external and internal communications.

The other officer will be investigated in relation to their oversight of the briefing document and an allegation that they too lacked balance in references to Maccabi supporters.