Antoine Semenyo, the Bournemouth forward, has called for stronger action against racial abuse in football, suggesting that prison sentences should be considered as a fitting punishment. His statement comes after he was allegedly targeted by a spectator at Anfield during Bournemouth's Premier League match against Liverpool.
The match, which Liverpool won 4-2, was temporarily halted in the first half after Semenyo reported the abuse to the referee. A 47-year-old man was ejected from the stadium and subsequently arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offense. He has since been released on bail with conditions, including a ban from attending any regulated football match in the UK and being within one mile of any designated football stadium.
Semenyo, a Ghana international who scored twice in the game, expressed his gratitude for the support he received from teammates, Liverpool players, and the wider football community. However, he believes that current measures to combat racism in football are insufficient.
In an interview with ITV News, Semenyo stated that "Whatever the Premier League are doing, it's not enough and there's more that needs to be done". He elaborated on the need for both football and legal authorities to take more decisive action, suggesting that prison sentences should be considered as a potential punishment for racial abuse.
Racism in football has been a long-standing issue, with numerous incidents occurring both on and off the pitch. In recent years, there has been a growing call for stricter penalties to deter discriminatory behavior. Football banning orders (FBOs) have been used to prevent violence and disorder at matches, and their scope has been expanded to include online abuse. In one instance, a man who sent racist abuse to Brentford striker Ivan Toney was sentenced to a suspended prison sentence and a three-year FBO.
FIFA also wants all 211 national federations to make racist abuse a disciplinary offense. Teams whose fans or players racially abuse opponents could face disciplinary punishments such as forfeiting games.
Despite these measures, many believe that more needs to be done to eradicate racism from football. Some have called for stricter sanctions, such as points deductions or expulsion from competitions, for repeat offenders or mass discriminatory chanting. Others advocate for empowering players to leave the pitch when they experience abuse.
The incident involving Semenyo is a stark reminder of the challenges that still need to be addressed in the fight against racism in football. His call for prison sentences as a potential punishment highlights the need for a more robust and comprehensive approach to tackling this issue. It remains to be seen whether football and legal authorities will heed his call and implement more stringent measures to protect players from racial abuse.
