Racist abuse aimed at England trio
British police opened investigations Monday into the racist abuse of three Black players who failed to score penalties in England’s shootout loss to Italy in the European Championship final.
The Metropolitan Police condemned the “unacceptable” abuse of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, and said they will be investigating the “offensive and racist” social media posts published soon after Italy won Sunday’s shootout 3-2 following a 1-1 draw. A mural of Rashford on the wall of a cafe in south Manchester was also defaced with graffiti in the wake of the match.
The racist abuse, which was condemned as “unforgivable” by England coach Gareth Southgate, has led to calls for social media companies, such as Facebook and Twitter, to do more in hunting down the perpetrators of the abuse.
All three players targeted are part of a young England squad that has been widely praised for its diversity and social conscience. Rashford, for one, has been at the forefront of a campaign against child poverty, which convinced the British government to restore free lunches for thousands of poor children amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“We have been a beacon of light in bringing people together, in people being able to relate to the national team, and the team stands for everybody and that togetherness has to continue,” Southgate said Monday.
The abuse was widely condemned, with Prince William, the president of the English Football Association, saying he was “sickened” by the racism aimed at the players.
“It is totally unacceptable that players have to endure this abhorrent behaviour,” he wrote on Twitter. “It must stop ... and all those involved should be held accountable.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday told those who directed racist abuse at some of the players that he hoped “you will crawl back under the rock from which you emerged.”
But he has faced criticism for emboldening those booing the England team for taking a knee before their matches to protest against racial injustice.
Last month, Johnson’s spokesman said the prime minister is “more focused on action rather than gestures.” That comment led to widespread criticism that Johnson was effectively encouraging those booing to carry on.
NFL: Former Broncos offensive line coach Alex Gibbs, a key part of Mike Shanahan’s staff that helped the team win back-toback Super Bowls in the late 1990s, died of complications from a stroke. He was 80
NHL: The Oilers acquired Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith on Monday in a trade for defenseman Caleb Jones and a 2022 conditional third-round draft pick. Keith, 37, expressed a desire to be closer to his son in British Columbia. The two-time Norris Trophy winner had played his entire career with the Blackhawks. He helped the team win the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015 and was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP in the third title run.
Also: Tad Brown agreed to become the CEO of the NBA’s 76ers and NHL’s Devils, both holdings of Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment. In April, Brown stepped down after 16 years as CEO of the Rockets.