Abusive Remarks Towards Tottenham Spark Disbelief
In the aftermath of the UEFA Super Cup match between Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Europa League champions Tottenham Hotspur, a striker for Tottenham, Mathys Tel, has been subjected to racist abuse on social media.
The abhorrent slurs were directed at Tel following his missed penalty during the penalty shootout, which resulted in PSG's victory. The cowardly abusers, hiding behind anonymous usernames and profiles, have not deterred Tottenham from taking a firm stance against such discrimination.
Tottenham Hotspur has strongly condemned the abuse, labelling it "disgusting." The club has expressed full support for Tel, with his teammates and manager publicly backing him. Manager Thomas Frank urged "real Tottenham supporters" to show their backing for Tel, emphasizing that no true fan would engage in racist behaviour.
The club is actively supporting Tel to help him navigate through this difficult situation. Moreover, Tottenham has threatened legal action against those identified for abusing Tel. They will collaborate with authorities and platform operators to ensure justice is served.
On the authorities' side, law enforcement is prepared to act on online racial abuse incidents related to football. For instance, a man from Liverpool was arrested, conditionally bailed, and banned from attending football matches for racially abusing another player, Antoine Semenyo.
It's important to note that this is not an isolated incident. Black players often face racism in football stadiums, not limited to online platforms. The UEFA Super Cup match, which took place in Udine, Italy, was no exception.
Tottenham Hotspur, in their statement, further emphasized Tel's courage in taking a penalty. Mathys Tel, a former player of Bayern Munich, joined Tottenham in 2021 and has been making strides in his career with the London-based club.
The club has made it clear that they will not tolerate any form of discrimination and are committed to working with anti-discrimination efforts to create a more inclusive environment for all players and fans.
- Following Mathys Tel's missed penalty in the UEFA Super Cup match, he faced disgusting racist abuse on social media, which is a reflection of the general-news issue of crime-and-justice in sports, particularly football.
- Amidst the rise of online racial abuse incidents in European leagues, authorities have stood firm against such behaviour, as shown by the arrest and banning of a Liverpool man for racially abusing Antoine Semenyo.
- In a commendable act, Tottenham Hotspur, in their response to the abuse faced by Mathys Tel, has vowed to actively support him and take legal action against those identified, demonstrating their commitment towards eradicating discrimination and fostering a more inclusive environment for players and fans.
