A football fan has been taken into police custody after allegedly racially abusing Ghanaian international Antoine Semenyo during a recent match.
The incident occurred while Semenyo, who plays as a forward for AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League, was in action. According to reports, the player was subjected to discriminatory remarks from the stands, prompting immediate intervention from stadium authorities.
Local police confirmed that a suspect was arrested on the ground and is currently assisting with investigations. The club also issued a strong statement condemning the abuse, stressing its zero-tolerance stance on racism and pledging full cooperation with law enforcement.
“We have arrested a man following reports racist abuse was directed towards Bournemouth player Antoine Semenyo during his team’s Premier League fixture versus Liverpool at Anfield on Friday, 15 August,” a statement from Liverpool’s local police force said.
“The suspect’s identity was confirmed, and he was removed from the ground following the report.
“A 47-year-old man from Liverpool has today (Saturday, 16 August) been arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence. He has been taken into custody to be interviewed.”
Semenyo, 24, has been in fine form for both club and country and is regarded as one of Ghana’s rising stars. The incident has sparked renewed calls for tougher measures against racism in football, with campaigners insisting that offenders must face harsher punishments to deter future cases.
This latest development adds to a growing list of racial abuse cases involving players across European football, further underlining the urgent need for stronger safeguards to protect athletes.
