Fan expelled from Bournemouth match due to hurling racist insults; Antoine Semenyo advocates for stricter penalties

In the first game of the new Premier League season, Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo was allegedly targeted by a pitch-side spectator during the match against Liverpool. The London-born Ghana international reported the incident to referee Anthony Taylor.

Semenyo found the social media abuse that followed particularly painful. His social media account was abused with racial slurs shortly after the game at Anfield. Semenyo revealed that he was subjected to further racial abuse on social media after the incident.

"I felt the need to respond to messages of support from family and friends, but instead was met with more racial abuse on social media," Semenyo told ITV News. He expressed anger at the individual who racially abused him and hoped that the attention given to the incident would act as a deterrent for future racial abuse, but feared it may not be enough.

A 47-year-old man was subsequently arrested in connection with the incident. The man has been banned from any regulated football match in the UK as part of his bail conditions. The man was released on bail on suspicion of an aggravated public order offence.

The incident has sparked concern from various football authorities. Premier League chief executive, Richard Masters, has expressed concern about the continued occurrence of racial abuse in football and is considering additional measures to prevent it.

FIFA, led by its president Gianni Infantino, has called for stronger consequences and measures to be taken by competition organizers and law enforcement for similar racist incidents in the future, in connection with the incident involving Antoine Semenyo.

Semenyo believes that current anti-racism campaigns are not effective in the long term. He told ITV News that he believes the available sanctions should be even more severe for racial abuse in football.

Semenyo thanked his team-mates, opponents, and fans for their support following the incident at Anfield. He expressed gratitude for their unwavering support and solidarity in the face of racial abuse.

As the football community continues to grapple with the issue of racial abuse, Semenyo's courage in speaking out serves as a reminder of the need for a zero-tolerance approach to racism in football.