Burnley Football Club Issues Forceful Condemnation of Racist Abuse Targeting Hannibal Mejbri
Burnley Football Club has released a powerful statement expressing utter disgust at the vile racist abuse directed at midfielder Hannibal Mejbri in the aftermath of Saturday's dramatic Premier League clash with Chelsea. The incident occurred following a late equalizer that saw Scott Parker's side snatch a vital point deep into injury time at Stamford Bridge, with Mejbri starting in the away fixture.
Social Media Abuse and Player Response
In a distressingly familiar pattern, Mejbri became the target of abusive trolls on social media platforms after the match concluded. The Manchester United academy graduate took to his Instagram Stories to highlight the extent of the harassment footballers routinely face regardless of results. He shared one particularly upsetting message with the caption 'pfff ...' before following up with a direct message to his tormentors.
In his subsequent story, Mejbri wrote: 'It's 2026 and there are still (people) like that ... Educate yourself and your kids pls'. This public sharing of abuse represents a growing trend among professional athletes who are choosing to expose rather than ignore such malicious behavior.
Club's Unwavering Support and Action
Burnley FC responded swiftly and unequivocally, issuing a formal statement that left no doubt about their position. 'Everyone at Burnley FC is disgusted by the online racist abuse directed at Hannibal following today's Premier League fixture,' the club declared. 'There is no place for this in our society and we condemn it unreservedly.'
The statement continued with a clear institutional stance: 'The club continues to be unequivocal in its stance – we have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of discrimination.' Burnley has taken concrete action by reporting the abusive post to Meta, Instagram's parent company, and expects robust support from both the technology giant and football authorities.
The club emphasized their commitment to pursuing all available avenues, stating they will 'work to ensure that the individual responsible is identified and investigated' with assistance from the Premier League and police authorities. Burnley also confirmed that Mejbri 'will receive the full backing from the club and from the Burnley fans', noting that supporters had already begun condemning the abuse online.
Previous Incident of On-Pitch Racism
This is not the first time Mejbri has been subjected to racist abuse during his football career. Last season, while playing in the Championship, he was the victim of on-pitch racial abuse during a February fixture against Preston North End. The incident resulted in Preston's Milutin Osmajic receiving a nine-game ban from the Football Association after a Regulatory Commission proved the charge in November, despite Osmajic's strong refutation.
During that match, Mejbri and Osmajic were seen exchanging words in the 56th minute, with Mejbri initially facing away before reacting to something said. The Burnley player immediately lodged a complaint with the referee, spoke to manager Scott Parker and other players, and the incident was formally noted with a post-match meeting convened.
Mejbri took to social media at that time to declare: 'I will not be silent about what happened today. I will always call out racism whenever I hear or see it. That is the only way we change as a sport and a society. I am a strong person but nobody should have to experience this disgusting abuse on the pitch.'
The aftermath saw Burnley players refuse to shake hands with Montenegrin international Osmajic before their FA Cup fifth-round tie two weeks later. Osmajic scored in that subsequent match and appeared to mock Burnley fans during his celebration, further escalating tensions between the clubs.
Burnley's latest statement concludes with the simple but powerful declaration: 'There is no room for racism.' The club's swift response and Mejbri's decision to publicly share the abuse highlight the ongoing battle against discrimination in football and society at large.
