Manchester City is offering support to Antoine Semenyo after the forward recently faced further instances of racial abuse. Semenyo, 26, shared a screenshot of the abusive comment on his Instagram story, stating "It's started again". This incident is not the first time Semenyo has experienced racial abuse this season. During the opening match against Liverpool, while playing for Bournemouth, Semenyo reported being racially abused by a supporter, leading to referee Anthony Taylor stopping the game.
The Ghana international scored two goals in the 4-2 defeat. Following the incident, Mark Mogan, 47, was arrested and charged by Merseyside Police with a racially aggravated public order offence, which he denied in court in December. A trial is set to take place on April 22.
The Premier League has expressed its strong disapproval of the recent online racist abuse targeted at Semenyo, offering support to the player and the club. The Premier League stated, "Racism has no place in our game or anywhere in society. It is clear that more needs to be done to address this issue and we will work alongside clubs, football bodies, law enforcement and social media companies to ensure this remains a priority for all. Any individuals identified and found guilty of discrimination will face the strongest possible consequences, including custodial sentences, football banning orders and criminal records." The FA also released a statement condemning the abuse and offering support to Semenyo and the club.
The FA emphasized its commitment to making football a place free of abuse, hate, and profanity. Sky Sports has also reiterated its commitment to maintaining a hate-free environment on its social media platforms, encouraging users to report any instances of hate speech or abuse.