Fifa probe race abuse allegation

Fifa is investigating Rhian Brewster’s claim that England team-mate Morgan Gibbs-white was racially abused by a Spanish opponent during the Under-17 World Cup final, football’s world governing body has confirmed.

Liverpool teenager Brewster made the allegation in a powerful interview with The Guardian last week. The 17-year-old Londoner told the newspaper he had either personally experienced racial abuse or witnessed it on a football pitch seven times, including five occasions in the last seven months. Two of those alleged incidents–all against overseas opposition – took place on England duty, with the most recent being abuse directed at Gibbs-white in October’s 5-2 victory over Spain in Kolkata.

A Fifa spokesperson said it had recently received a complaint from the Football Association and was “now gathering evidence”.

According to Brewster’s interview, Gibbs-white was called “a monkey” by a Spanish player. “It was a goal-kick and I was getting into position,” Brewster said. “‘Morgan,’ I said, ‘did you hear that?’ He said: ‘Yeah, yeah, I thought I was the only one’.”