Manchester City is providing support to forward Antoine Semenyo after he revealed further instances of racial abuse this season. Semenyo, 26, recently posted on Instagram, sharing a screenshot of the abusive comment and stating, 'It's started again.' This incident follows a previous occurrence during the season's opening match against Liverpool, where Semenyo reported being racially abused by a supporter, leading to referee Anthony Taylor stopping play. The Ghana international scored two goals in the 4-2 defeat.
A 47-year-old man, Mark Mogan, was arrested and charged with a racially aggravated public order offense, which he denied, and a trial is set for April 22. In response to the latest incident, a Premier League spokesperson expressed strong condemnation of the online racist abuse targeted at Semenyo, offering support to the player and the club.
The spokesperson emphasized that racism has no place in the sport or society and that more needs to be done to address this issue. The Premier League will work alongside clubs, football bodies, law enforcement, and social media companies to prioritize this matter and ensure that individuals found guilty of discrimination face severe consequences, including custodial sentences, football banning orders, and criminal records. The FA also released a statement, echoing the Premier League's sentiments and commitment to tackling racism in the sport.