ONLINE RACISTS TO BE BANNED BY U.K.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the government plans to ban anyone guilty of online racist abuse from soccer matches as authorities continue to respond to the lawlessness connected to England’s loss in the final of the European soccer championship.
Johnson on Wednesday told lawmakers that it was time to act after three Black members of England’s national team were targeted by racist abuse on social media after they failed to score during the penalty shootout that sealed the team’s loss to Italy on Sunday night. The government plans to add online racism to the list of offenses for which fans can be barred from matches, he said.
“What we are doing is taking practical steps to ensure that the football banning regime is changed so that if you are guilty of racist abuse online on football, then you will not be going to the match,” Johnson said during his weekly prime minister’s questions session. “No ifs, no buts, no exemptions, no excuses.”
Courts are allowed to issue banning orders if a fan is convicted of a “relevant offense” linked to a match, including crimes such as disorderly behavior or possession of weapons.
While many fans have rallied around Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka since the players were targeted on social media, activists said racism in English soccer is a longstanding problem that authorities haven’t done enough to address.
Sancho spoke out about the incident in an Instagram post on Wednesday, encouraging young players who have experienced similar abuse to stay strong and “keep chasing the dream.”
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