47 year-old disabled male Liverpool fan arrested for racially abusing Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo..
2025-08-21 03:35
The Liverpool ECHO reported Thursday that Merseyside Police have arrested a disabled male Liverpool fan who racially abused Ghana international forward Antoine Semenyo during Liverpool's Premier League opener against Bournemouth.
According to the report, upon receiving Semenyo's complaint, the stewards immediately reported the incident to the referee and on-site police officers, who ultimately decided to eject the fan after 30 minutes of negotiation.
The fan in question is a 47-year-old disabled male Liverpool fan who has held a season ticket in the disabled area for many years.
Merseyside Police stated that due to the vulgarity of the language used, they were required to charge him with public disorder and uttering racist insults.
In addition, according to This Is Anfield, a news website run by Liverpool's official UK supporters' group, the disabled fan has a history of provoking others with extreme behaviour and rhetoric.
Prior to that day, the fan in question had racially abused others more than three times, and his reputation among fans at Anfield was already very poor.
Liverpool is currently cooperating with Merseyside Police in their investigation.
If convicted, the fan could face up to seven years in prison and a lifetime ban from football stadiums under English Football Association regulations.
Regarding Semenyo's treatment, a spokesperson for the defending Premier League champions' UK official fan group has issued a sincere apology to the player on behalf of the fans and the club, reiterating that racism has no place in football or in society worldwide.
They also thanked Bournemouth fans for their understanding and praised Semenyo's mental fortitude for remaining calm and scoring twice after such a devastating incident.
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