UK police investigate racial abuse of four Premier League players; Fofana expects little action

The UK Police said on Monday that it was investigating “abhorrent” racist abuse directed online at four Premier League footballers last weekend.

Wolves striker 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 on Saturday following a 1-1 draw between their clubs.

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

“The UKFPU condemns this abhorrent behaviour, 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 Mundle had endured similar attacks following his substitute appearance in a 1-3 loss at Fulham.

Kick It Out, a British-based charity aiming to combat racism in football, condemned late Sunday an “appalling weekend” of abuse 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 thing, nothing changes,” he posted. “These people are never punished. You create big campaigns against racism, but nobody actually does anything.”

An official spokesman for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also condemned the “abhorrent” abuse and said the government would put pressure on technology companies to provide greater protection.

“Meta has said that it will continue to work to protect people from abuse,” the spokesman said. “Ministers will be holding them to account to ensure it happens.”

Published on Feb 24, 2026