Police Launch Investigation Into Racist Abuse of Footballers
The UK Football Policing Unit has initiated a comprehensive investigation following multiple reports of online racial abuse targeting professional footballers across England's Premier League and Scotland's Premiership over the weekend. Authorities are examining six separate incidents that occurred between Friday and Sunday, involving players from five different clubs.
Multiple Clubs Report Abuse
Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana and Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri were both subjected to racist messages on Instagram following their clubs' 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has removed the accounts responsible for the abuse. Lancashire Constabulary confirmed they are collaborating with Burnley Football Club and the UKFPU to pursue the investigation further.
Chelsea Football Club released a strong statement expressing their disgust at the abuse directed at Fofana, stating they stand "unequivocally with Wes" and condemning the racist behavior. Burnley similarly denounced the abuse targeting Mejbri, emphasizing that "there is no place for this in our society" and condemning it "unreservedly."
Additional Incidents Across Leagues
Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Tolu Arokodare also faced racial abuse on Instagram after his team's 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday. In an unprecedented move, Wolves published the uncensored racist posts on their official website to publicly identify the offending accounts. The club has reported the incident to both Meta and West Midlands Police.
Sunderland's Romaine Mundle was forced to deactivate his Instagram account after receiving racist abuse following his team's 3-1 loss to Fulham. The Wearside club reported the abuse to Meta and relevant authorities, stating that "the abhorrent behavior displayed by multiple individuals is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by the club under any circumstances."
Scottish Premiership Also Affected
In Scotland, two Rangers players—centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez and winger Djeidi Gassama—were racially abused on Instagram after their team's 2-2 draw at Livingston. Both players appear to have been targeted by the same social media account user, highlighting the coordinated nature of some online abuse.
Authorities Take Strong Stance
Cheshire Chief Constable Mark Roberts, who heads the UK Football Policing Unit, issued a firm statement: "There is absolutely no place for racial abuse, either online or in person, and anyone who believes they can hide behind their keyboards should think again. The UKFPU condemns this abhorrent behavior and we will ensure that, through our dedicated team of officers, we do everything possible to identify those responsible and bring them to justice."
The Premier League organization also condemned the abuse, stating: "There are serious consequences for anybody found guilty of discrimination and we will offer our full support with their investigations. Football is for everyone—there is no room for racism."
Charities Demand Action
UK anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out reiterated calls for social media platforms to implement stronger measures against online abuse. The organization noted that "the sad fact is, we know it [racial abuse] happens regularly" and emphasized that "players cannot be expected to tolerate this behavior, and nor should anyone else."
Broader Context of Racism in Football
These incidents occur against a backdrop of ongoing racial abuse issues in European football. Recently, Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni received a provisional suspension from UEFA following allegations he racially abused Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during a Champions League match. The 20-year-old was banned for one match while investigations continue into the alleged racism directed at the Brazilian player.
Last week's Champions League knockout round play-off first leg in Portugal was halted for eleven minutes during the second half after Vinicius Junior informed the referee he was suffering racial abuse from spectators. This incident underscores the persistent challenge football faces in eradicating racism from both stadiums and online platforms.
