Coventry midfielder Kasey Palmer was allegedly racially abused by home fans in last weekend's clash at Sheffield Wednesday; a man has been arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence and released on bail
Friday 26 January 2024 10:23, UK
A man has been arrested after Coventry midfielder Kasey Palmer alleged he had been racially abused in a Championship game at Sheffield Wednesday last weekend.
South Yorkshire Police said the man was arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence and released on bail.
The game at Hillsborough was halted last Saturday after Palmer alleged he had been racially abused by one of Wednesday's fans, with both clubs issuing a joint statement after the match.
A statement from South Yorkshire Police read: "A man has been arrested following a racially aggravated public order offence at the Sheffield Wednesday FC and Coventry City FC match last weekend [20 January].
"It is alleged that a Coventry City FC player was racially abused during the match.
"We are continuing to work closely with Sheffield Wednesday FC and Coventry City FC to investigate.
"We do not tolerate hate crime or disorder and anyone with information can report concerns to club officials and officers who will be present on the day. The man has since been released on police bail."
Coventry return to Hillsborough on Friday night to take on Wednesday in an FA Cup fourth-round clash, with Sky Blues manager Mark Robins backing his players to walk off the pitch if a similar incident happens again, as AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan - who was also racially abused by home fans - and his team-mates did in a Serie A game at Udinese last weekend.
"There's been a lot of talk that if it happens again, walk off the field, and I think that's got everybody's backing," he said.
"And I think if it does happen again then that's what we should do; the players should be aware of that and are aware of that. They have that backing; the owner [Doug King] has come out and said it and everyone is aware of it and understands what the consequences will be if it happens again.
"But also, there has to be wider ranging consequences as has been alluded to higher up the food chain with Gianni Infantino speaking about it, so let's see what happens in terms of backing it up."
The Professional Footballers' Association released a statement on Monday morning insisting players do not believe action is being taken against racism in the game.
PFA chair Omar Beckles said: "The PFA has been working closely with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), giving insights from a player perspective on protocols for dealing with racist incidents.
"We've encouraged players, when they are aware of racial abuse, to take control of the situation by delaying restarts, free kicks, and throw-ins. A stoppage in play - however long it takes - forces a response. It creates a window to alert match officials and gives the best chance of identifying those responsible.
"However, without action, the protocols are useless. Our members want to see real, consistent and significant consequences for racist abuse, both for the individuals who are responsible and for clubs who fail to get a grip of the issue within their stadiums. The reality is that players don't believe this is happening. The responsibility for what happens next lies with the authorities.
"Kasey Palmer deserves to be commended for his exemplary behaviour and measured response in an extremely challenging situation. Those responsible for this incident were recorded, and they must be identified. They should face criminal charges and a ban from football. The PFA remains resolute against racism and steadfast in supporting our players."
