Berlin (AFP) – Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the English FA condemned racist abuse aimed at Jude Bellingham after the 17-year-old midfielder became the latest player to reveal attacks on social media.
Bellingham posted a screenshot of comments on his Instagram profile which included vulgar and racist abuse after Dortmund’s 2-2 draw with Cologne on Saturday.
“Just another day on social media,” he wrote above the image, prompting both Dortmund and the Football Association to release statements in support of their player.
“Racism is not an opinion. We condemn the racist comments against Jude Bellingham,” tweeted Dortmund.
“We continue to be disgusted by the discriminatory abuse our players — and others across the game — are being subjected to online. Something needs to change,” wrote the FA on Twitter.
“We stand with you,” the association added, tagging Bellingham’s official account.
Bellingham joins a growing number of players who have called out online abuse, including Manchester United trio Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Axel Tuanzebe, as well as Chelsea full-back Reece James.
In February, football chiefs in England to the bosses of Twitter and Facebook calling for action to tackle “havens of abuse”.
Rashford also called social media companies to do more to tackle online abuse, while British police have called on the Premier League and English Football League to boost cooperation with officers to fight the problem.
