‘It’s not up to players’
2019: A YEAR OF RACE SHAME
Racist chanting mars Millwall’s FA Cup win over Everton. The Lions pledge to ban fans for life if they are found guilty. MAR 18 Chelsea lodge a formal complaint with UEFA over racist chanting aimed at Callum Hudson-Odoi during a Europa League game at Dynamo Kiev.
A number of England’s players (right) are racially abused in a Euro 2020 qualifying win in Montenegro.
APR 2 Everton striker Moise
Kean, then of Juventus, was abused by sections of the
Cagliari support during a
Serie A match. Team-mate Leonardo Bonucci later said
Kean should take “50-50” of the blame.
England and
Tottenham defender Danny Rose says he cannot wait for his career to be over due to racism.
The EFL declares itself “saddened, disappointed and angered” by numerous instances of alleged racist abuse at games. Derby, Wigan and Northampton all reported abuse of their players.
Watford striker Troy Deeney reports abuse on social media.
APR 11 A video of Chelsea fans singing a racist song at a Europa League game in
Prague is condemned by the club, with three fans denied entry to the game. Arsenal also launch an investigation into their owns fans after
Napoli player Kalidou
Koulibaly is allegedly abused during a Europa League tie.
The Ligue 1 game between Amiens and Dijon is suspended for several minutes as Amiens defender Prince Gouano suffers abuse from the stands.
West Ham say they are “disgusted” by a video on social media of a group of fans singing an anti-Semitic song.
APR 15 MK Dons and
Tranmere condemn racist abuse of Dons forward Chuks
Aneke on social media. Notts
County impose “indefinite club bans” on some supporters.
Manchester United’s
Ashley Young is abused on
Twitter after his side go out of the Champions League to Barcelona.
Leading players undertake a 24-hour social-media boycott in protest at the ongoing abuse. Twitter says it is now suspending three times more abusive accounts within 24 hours.
UEFA orders Montenegro to play June’s Euro 2020 qualifiers with Kosovo behind closed doors as a result of the racism from the England game in March.
As a new season begins, Kick It Out condemns a number of incidents in the first weekend. Fulham’s
Cyrus Christie alleges his sister was hit and racially abused, while QPR’s Under-18s walk off in the second half of a friendly against
AD Nervion in Spain after abuse.
Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham is targeted online after missing a penalty in a Super Cup shoot-out. Manager Frank
Lampard says he is “disgusted with a so-called Chelsea fan”.
Reading’s Yakou Meite is abused for missing a penalty.
Manchester United condemn racist abuse aimed at Paul Pogba after he misses a penalty. Team-mate Marcus Rashford says “if you attack him, you attack us all” but is later abused himself.
Pogba says he will fight racism for the “next generation”.
Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku is abused at Cagliari, though the club deny his accusation.
Twitter says it has taken down 700 examples of “hateful conduct” in the last two weeks.
A 43-year-old man is arrested on suspicion of committing a racially aggravated public order offence during Hartlepool’s match against Dover.
Aston Villa condemn social media footage of fans chanting a racist song which references their own players.
OCT 14 England’s Euro 2020 qualifier in Bulgaria (below) is stopped twice due to racist abuse from home supporters.
The FA Cup qualifier between Haringey and Yeovil is abandoned after allegations a Haringey player was abused. The players walked off after 64 minutes.
Hearts and Bristol City open investigations following allegations of abuse from their fans. Manchester United eject a fan for alleged racist abuse during a Premier League game with Liverpool. Bulgaria are ordered to play two matches behind closed doors, one suspended for two years, and fined £65,000 for the abuse of England’s players on October 14.
Brescia’s Mario Balotelli kicks the ball into the stands in protest at abuse suffered during a game with Verona.
NOV 16 Sweden striker Alexander Isak, 20, was subjected to racist abuse by Romania fans during a Euro 2020 qualifier.
Italian daily newspaper Corriere Dello Sport is accused of fuelling racism with its front page headline of ‘Black Friday’ (left) alongside pictures of Inter Milan’s Lukaku and Roma’s Chris Smalling.
A 41-year-old is arrested on suspicion of “a racially aggravated public order offence” during the Manchester derby. Play was temporarily suspended in the Sky Bet League Two match between Forest Green and Scunthorpe after a Rovers fan allegedly directed racist comments towards visiting defender Jordan Clarke.
Serie A invited further controversy by using three paintings of monkeys (left) to illustrate a campaign to stamp out racism. Millwall say they will fully co-operate with an investigation into alleged abuse during their clash with Barnsley. The PFA calls for government action after the Premier League game between Tottenham and Chelsea has three stadium announcements reporting abuse, with Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger reportedly the subject of monkey chanting.
BRIGHTON boss Graham Potter feels it would not be fair to let players decide whether to leave the pitch if faced with racist abuse.
Potter takes his Seagulls to Tottenham on Boxing Day, where Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger became the latest Premier League star to suffer racial taunts.
Rudiger’s experience has led to suggestions that players, rather than officials, should have the power to decide when to walk off the pitch.
But Potter said. “It’s hard enough and difficult enough to play Premier League football without these things happening.
“It’s hard to put players in the situation where they can make those decisions.
“That’s why we need help from above and for people to take a stand. Protocols must be in place so players can focus on the football as best they can.”