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Police said on Monday they were investigating "disgusting" racist abuse directed at four Premier League players last weekend. Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare and Sunderland midfielder Romain Mundelein were the latest players targeted on Sunday, while Chelsea's Wesley Fofana and Burnley's Hannibal Mejbri were subjected to similar abuse on Saturday after their clubs' 1-1 draw.
Chief Constable Mark Roberts, head of the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU), said on Monday: “Racist abuse has absolutely no place, online or in person, and anyone who thinks they can hide behind their keyboard should think again. The UKFPU condemns this despicable behaviour and we will ensure that we do everything we can, through our dedicated team of officers, to identify and bring to justice those responsible.”
Arokodare missed a penalty in a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday and subsequently received racist messages from several users. Sunderland later said Mandle had been subjected to similar attacks after coming on as a substitute in a 3-1 defeat at Fulham. Kick It Out, a UK-based charity that aims to combat racism in football, issued a statement on Sunday evening condemning the "appalling weekend" of violence. "But the sad fact is that we know it happens regularly," it said, adding: "Action must be taken. Players cannot be expected to tolerate this behaviour and no one should." The Premier League issued its own statement warning of “serious consequences” for those found guilty of violence, insisting: “Football is for everyone – there is no place for racism.” But French defender Fofana, who had previously shared photos of the messages on his Instagram page, had little hope that significant action would be taken.
Nigel Duval, who sent online abusive messages to England defender Jess Carter during last year’s European Women’s Championship, is due to be sentenced on March 25 after pleading guilty to malicious communication charges in January. European football’s governing body, UEFA, last week opened an investigation into claims by Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior that Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni racially abused him on the pitch during a Champions League match in Lisbon. The Argentine has denied the allegations. Benfica have also launched their own investigation into two fans who were filmed making monkey gestures at Brazilian forward Vinicius.