Man accused of racially abusing Antoine Semenyo barred for every stadium in Britain

A football fan accused of racially abusing Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo during the team’s match against Liverpool on Friday has been banned from every football stadium in Britain. 

The 47-year old man was arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence and released on conditional bail, police said.  

The opening match of the Premier League season at Anfield was stopped for several minutes during the first half after Semenyo reported the abuse to the referee.  

Posting on social media, the 25-year-old Ghana international thanked his teammates, fans, Liverpool players and officials. He said “the entire football family stood together". 

Semenyo went on to score twice for Bournemouth, who lost 4-2 to Liverpool. 

In a statement, the Football Association said it would work to ensure the appropriate action is taken. The Premier League said it would also conduct an investigation.  

'No place for racism'

On Monday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino says that two incidents of alleged racist abuse which marred German Cup games are “unacceptable” as German police investigate.

Infantino's comments came a day after Schalke's Christopher Antwi-Adjei said he was subjected to racist abuse in a cup game at Lokomotive Leipzig. He was whistled by fans throughout the match after reporting the incident to officials.

In another incident, a Kaiserslautern substitute was racially abused while warming up in a game at RSV Eintracht, the team's coach said. He didn't name the player affected. Both incidents occurred as lower-league clubs from the former East Germany hosted larger teams in first-round games.

“It is unacceptable that incidents have occurred at two DFB-Pokal matches in Germany," Infantino wrote on social media, using the German name for the competition. “Football has no place for racism or any form of discrimination.”

Infantino said FIFA's Players' Voice Panel would be “in touch” with the German soccer federation and would also contact Semenyo.

“Everyone at FIFA, The Players’ Voice Panel and the whole football community stands firmly with all those impacted by these events — we are committed to ensuring that players are respected and protected, and that competition organizers and law enforcement authorities take appropriate action," Infantino added.

Antwi-Adjei filed a complaint about the incident at Lokomotive Leipzig and police were investigating, Schalke said late Sunday. At RSV Eintracht, fans and security quickly identified the alleged perpetrator and fans of both teams chanted “Nazis out,” German agency dpa reported.

The German soccer federation's president, Bernd Neuendorf, said it had already launched its own investigations into the two games.

“Racism and discrimination, hatred and exclusion have no place in football. We stand for diversity and respect. And alongside those affected and with those who stand up for our values,” Neuendorf said in a statement.