Four Premier League players have reported racist abuse sent to them on social media after matches last weekend, prompting renewed calls for football authorities and social media companies to take stronger action. Wesley Fofana, Hannibal Mejbri, Tolu Arokodare and Romaine Mundle are among those who have highlighted the abuse they received, following in the footsteps of players such as Jess Carter and Antoine Semenyo.
The incidents come amid contentious remarks by Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who said the UK had been “colonised by immigrants”, and Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior’s decision to report discrimination during a recent match. Samuel Okafor, writing for Kick It Out, said Ratcliffe’s language “certainly doesn’t help” and that players have been showing leadership that those with more power in the game should follow.
Kick It Out reported that online discrimination reports have risen by a third this season compared with the same point last season, while overall reports are up 45%. The UK Football Policing Unit noted that abuse can come from overseas, with offenders using VPNs to disguise their location, and that abuse is evolving from emojis to AI-generated pictures and audio files. Social media firms have also reduced monitoring networks, slowing the removal of abusive content.
The football body said it is working with Ofcom to ensure the regulator understands the unique challenges players face and why social media platforms must offer greater protections, including potential fines. Clubs are supporting players and working with police to bring accountability, with a man pleading guilty in the Carter case and Semenyo’s alleged abuser due to be tried.
Okafor also criticised comments by José Mourinho, who suggested Vinícius’s goal celebration contributed to the abuse and denied Benfica could be racist given Eusébio’s history at the club. He called for a collective effort to hold perpetrators and social media companies accountable, and highlighted the importance of representation in football leadership, citing Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany’s remarks on the opportunity to learn.
