Epl: Police Begin Probe Into Online Racist Abuse On Arokodare, Fofana Two Others

Enforcement focus

Police said the UKFPU, as the national lead for football-related online abuse, will work alongside clubs and players to identify suspects.

Recent cases have resulted in prosecutions and football banning orders, though authorities acknowledged “there is always more to do.”

The unit is coordinating with Ofcom, English football authorities and social media companies as part of a broader enforcement strategy.

A spokesperson for Meta, which owns Instagram, said: “No-one should be subjected to racist abuse, and we remove this content when we find it… we’ll continue working to protect our community from abuse and co-operate with police investigations.”

Ongoing issue across the game

Anti-discrimination body Kick It Out described it as an “appalling weekend,” while noting the problem remains persistent.

The latest incidents follow a series of high-profile cases in recent seasons. England internationals Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were racially abused after the Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy.

More recently, Newcastle United contacted police after midfielder Joe Willock received racist messages and threats online, while Tottenham forward Mathys Tel was also targeted following a penalty shootout defeat in August.