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New Delhi: Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo has praised the way players, officials and supporters reacted after he was subjected to racial abuse during his side's Premier League opener against Liverpool at Anfield.
The match was briefly paused in the first half when the Ghana international reported the incident to the referee. Later on, it was confirmed by police that a 47-year-old man was removed from the stadium and an investigation is underway. Both the club and the Premier League strongly condemned the abuse while anti-discrimination messages were read out to the Anfield crowd at half-time.
Speaking on social media after the match, Semenyo said the moment would stay with him forever not because of the words he heard but because of the unity shown in response.
He wrote on his X (formerly Twitter), “To my Bournemouth team-mates who supported me in that moment, to the Liverpool players and fans who showed their true character and to the Premier League officials who handled it professionally - thank you. Football showed its best side when it mattered most."
After the incident in the second half Semenyo went on to score twice, briefly pulling the Cherries level before the Reds went on to win 4-2. He described the goals as "“the only language that truly matters on the pitch” and said the support he has received from across the game reminded him why he loves football.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk called the incident "a disgrace" and admitted he was shocked something like this could still happen. He argued that campaigns as taking the knee have not been enough on their own to eradicate racism from the game and stressed the need to educate future generations.
He said, “The only way forward is to keep trying to teach the next generation that this has no place in football or in society. We stand with Antoine and will support him in any way we can.”
Merseyside Police confirmed they are treating the incident as a hate crime. Chief Inspector Kev Chatterton, who led policing at the match, said the force will seek football banning orders against anyone found guilty.
The Premier League also confirmed it is working with both clubs to investigate what happened and has offered its full support to the player. Meanwhile, social media company Meta has said it is taking action against abusive comments directed at Semenyo on Instagram with some accounts already disabled.
The incident adds to a worrying run of recent cases. Tottenham’s Mathys Tel was targeted online after missing a penalty in the Super Cup earlier this week while England defender Jess Carter revealed she faced abuse during Euro 2025. Former Lionesses Alex Scott and Dion Dublin both expressed frustration with Scott saying she was “not shocked” by what happened to Semenyo while Dublin described the situation as “beyond unacceptable.”
However, Semenyo chose to focus on the positives. “We keep moving forward together,” he wrote which serves as a reminder that while racism remains a stain on football, unity in response can still send the most powerful message.
