British police investigate racist abuse of four Premier League players; Fofana expects little action

British police said on Monday they were investigating “abhorrent” racist abuse directed at four Premier League footballers online last weekend.

Wolves forward Tolu Arokodare and Sunderland midfielder Romaine Mundle were the latest players to be targeted on Sunday.

Chelsea’s Wesley Fofana and Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri suffered similar abuse after a 1-1 draw between their clubs on Saturday.

Chief Constable Mark Roberts, head of the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU), said on Monday: “There is absolutely no place for racist abuse, online or in person, and anyone who thinks they can hide behind their keyboard should think again.

“The UKFPU condemns this abhorrent behavior and we will ensure that, through our dedicated team of officers, we do everything possible to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.”

Arokodare missed a penalty in Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace and subsequently received racist messages from several accounts.

Sunderland later revealed that Mundle had suffered similar attacks after his substitute appearance in a 1–3 defeat at Fulham.

Kick It Out, a British charity that aims to combat racism in football, condemned a «terrible weekend» of abuse late on Sunday and called for meaningful action.

The Premier League warned of ‘serious consequences’ for those found guilty of abuse, insisting: ‘Football is for everyone – there is no room for racism.’

‘People are never punished’

But French defender Fofana had little hope of significant action.

“(In) 2026 it’s still the same, nothing changes,” he wrote. Lihat juga cxv6. «These people are never punished. You mount big campaigns against racism, but no one actually does anything.»

An official spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also condemned the «abhorrent» abuse and said the government would put pressure on tech companies to provide more protection.

“Meta has said it will remain committed to protecting people from abuse,” the spokesperson said. “Ministers will hold them to account to ensure this happens.”

Published on February 24, 2026