Celtic to ban fans after tennis ball protest against Dermot Desmond at golf event

Celtic Football Club has condemned a protest where fans threw tennis balls at principal shareholder Dermot Desmond during the Alfred Dunhill Links golf tournament in St Andrews.

The incident occurred on Saturday at the green of the 15th hole during a pro-am event. According to The Guardian and BBC Sport, protesters threw tennis balls featuring images of the 76-year-old Desmond’s face crossed out, resulting in the shareholder being escorted from the course by security personnel.

The Celtic Fans Collective claimed responsibility for the disruption, stating on X that Desmond has used his wealth to "hide from supporters and accountability." The group argued that fans took the opportunity to send a message that the current leadership arrangement at the club cannot continue.

In a strongly-worded response, Celtic described the protest as a "premeditated action" that brought shame upon the club. As reported by BBC Sport, the club intends to indefinitely ban anyone found to be involved in planning or participating in the event. Celtic also announced it will no longer recognize or engage with the Celtic Fans Collective as a representative body.

While the club stated it respects the right to peaceful protest, it claimed a line was crossed into deliberate disruption. The Guardian noted that despite the club currently sitting top of the Scottish Premiership, fans have criticized Desmond for a perceived lack of progress on the pitch and underwhelming business in the transfer market.

Background

The protest follows ongoing tension between the board and supporters, including an annual general meeting last November that was abandoned due to fan unrest. In previous statements, Desmond has defended club officials and characterized certain critical fan groups as "bullies."