A 47-year-old man has been banned from attending football matches across the UK after allegedly racially abusing Bournemouth striker Antoine Semenyo during Friday’s Premier League opener against Liverpool at Anfield.
The match was halted briefly in the 29th minute after Semenyo raised concerns to the referee about abuse coming from the stands. Merseyside Police confirmed the suspect, from Liverpool, was arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence and later released on conditional bail.
As part of his bail terms, the man is prohibited from attending any regulated football match in the country and is barred from coming within one mile of a designated stadium. Police said the investigation remained ongoing and that they were working closely with Liverpool Football Club.
Semenyo, 25, who went on to score twice in the 4-2 defeat, spoke out after the match on social media. He described the night as one he would never forget, “because of how the entire football family stood together.” He thanked his Bournemouth teammates, Liverpool players, fans and match officials for their support and professionalism during the incident.
The Premier League, Liverpool and Bournemouth have all condemned the racist abuse, reaffirming their zero-tolerance stance on discrimination.
