<h3 class="H3Text">RED CARD FOR CAMERAS </h3><div>10 readers have commented on this story. Click here to read their views. </div><p class="smallFont ptag"> 08:36 - 06 September 2007 </p> <p class="ptag">Football fans are being banned from taking photos on mobile phone cameras at both Bristol Rovers and Bristol City home games. Rovers fans have been warned they will break official rules if they try to take pictures of players - and could even be thrown out of the Memorial Stadium. But Bristol City says it will take a softer approach, saying they will not eject supporters over the issue, pledging to "let common sense prevail". Both clubs are governed by Football League rules which state that no one, without a licence, can photograph or video what happens inside a stadium. </p><a name="continueNews" />The regulations say that copyright in any unauthorised recording "is assigned to the club". But websites, fanzines and television programmes often feature pictures and clips taken on mobile phones and fans of both clubs said they were surprised that this type of recording should be banned. After all, thousands of diehard fans have taken pictures from the terraces every weekend. Rovers' latest warning comes after stewards told young fans at the game against Nottingham Forest last Saturday that they were not allowed to take pictures on their mobile phones as it contravened club rules. One fan, who asked not be named, a long-time supporter of the League One club, was at the Mem for the club's 2-2 draw against Forest and was astonished at the actions of the stewards. He said: "I saw two young boys being told by a steward to stop trying to take pictures with their phones. It was done politely but without any explanation. "My friend's son, who was sitting close by, was disgusted and challenged the steward. He didn't seem to know why they couldn't take pictures. It's a nonsense." But the club has made no excuses over the hard line it is taking, claiming it is just trying to retain control over pictures taken at the Memorial Ground and restricting people from making money from the club's image rights. Club safety officer Dave Harper said: "In the case of the boys and their mobile phone cameras, what the steward did was correct, technically. "There was a directive from the Football League or the Football Association last year, which was to do with copyright. Strictly speaking, people are banned from taking pictures of live action. But I will remind the stewards to use their discretion. "Cameras are not allowed and this now includes mobile phones used as cameras. Anyone continuing to take pictures after being asked not to by a steward is in breach of the ground regulations and can be ejected." Football League Regulations No 16 state that no one without an appropriate licence can use within the ground "any equipment capable of recording or transmitting (by digital or other means) any audio, visual or audio-visual material". Rovers says the ban on phone camera use is not connected to the club's new ban on freelance and agency photographers. The latest restriction is upsetting professionals. The website of photographers' group EPUK said: "Rovers have announced they are to ban all freelance photographers and agencies from their local league matches, with only their club photographer and local newspapers being allowed access. Photographers have reacted with anger." The website reported British Association of Journalists General Secretary Steve Turner describing the ban as "an attack on the freedom of the press". Rovers director Geoff Dunford told the Evening Post: "We are not restricting the freedom of the press. We are restricting people from making money from our image rights. "Photographers are still allowed into the ground if they are representing a certain newspaper, but what we are trying to avoid is agencies coming in and hawking pictures of our games." Bristol City FC spokesman Ed Furniss said: "As far as the press is concerned we have to obey Football League licensing rules. So we let in any photographer who holds a League licence. "Where the public are taking pictures, with cameras or mobile phones, the rules are the same for us as they are at Rovers. "We would advise a spectator that they were in breach of the regulations and they should put the camera away. "If they refused to do so, we would ask them to hand the camera over and we would return it afterwards. We would not eject spectators over this. "We would just hope commonsense would prevail." Huw Griffiths, editor of the online City fanzine Bristolcitynet.com, said he welcomed the club's stance on the issue. He said: "It's hurting someone's livelihood if you're taking photographs to publish so it's understandable that they're banning that. "But pictures taken on mobile phones aren't going to be high enough resolution and it seems a bit ridiculous to take those kinds of photographs off people." Chris Chappell, editor of Rovers fanzine the Black Arab, said: "Better technology means cameras are getting smaller and phones are able to take better photos. "So it's hard to know where to draw the line. "It does seem a bit hardline but then perhaps it's just the club wanting to be in control of it all."
