RACISM:SOCIALMEDIAUNDERFIRE

Iffy Onuora has criticised social media companies for being too slow to take down racist posts after Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford became the latest player targeted.

Onuora is set to become the Premier League’s first head of equality, diversity and inclusion as football again finds itself targeted by hate crime.

Chelsea defender Reece James, West Brom’s Romaine Sawyers and Rashford’s teammates Axel Tuanzebe and Anthony Martial all suffered online racist abuse this week.

Rashford was then targeted after United’s 0-0 draw at Arsenal on Saturday evening, prompting an investigation from Greater Manchester Police and placing further scrutiny on social media platforms as the UK Government plans to introduce new laws on online abuse in 2021.

Onuora said: “A lot of this is now down to the responsibility of the social media companies.

“In my opinion they’ve been far too slow to take down harmful material, not just in terms of the abuse that footballers have suffered but abuse generally.

“There is technology out there that can protect this a lot quicker than they’ve been minded to move.”

A 49-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of racially abusing Sawyers, and Onuora said that was an encouraging development, insisting arrests will act as a powerful deterrent.

“He’s probably thought he can get away with it, a 49-year-old man, so we’ll see what the repercussions are for him,” he said.

A statement from Greater Manchester Police said: “These hateful words have no place anywhere in our society whether online or otherwise.”

Rashford tweeted on Saturday night: “Humanity and social media at its worst. Yes I’m a black man and I live every day proud that I am.

“No one, or no one comment, is going to make me feel any different.

“So sorry if you were looking for a strong reaction, you’re just simply not going to get it here.”