Bournemouth's Semenyo thanks football family for support in racism battle
What's the story
Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo has spoken out about the alleged racist abuse he suffered during the Premoer League 2025-26 opener against Liverpool on Friday. The Ghanaian international took to social media after the game, sharing more instances of racial abuse he had received and asking "When will it stop?" The incident on the field prompted an investigation from Merseyside Police, leading to the ejection of a 47-year-old man from Anfield. Here's more.
Support acknowledged
Semenyo thanks everyone involved
In a follow-up post on Saturday, Semenyo expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming support he received from the entire football community. He said, "Last night at Anfield will stay with me forever - not because of one person's words, but because of how the entire football family stood together." The 25-year-old player thanked his Bournemouth teammates, Liverpool players and fans, as well as Premier League officials for their professional handling of the incident.
Unity emphasized
More on Semenyo's views
Semenyo stressed on the importance of unity in football, saying "Scoring those two goals felt like speaking the only language that truly matters on the pitch." He added, "This is why I play - for moments like these, for my teammates, for everyone who believes in what this beautiful game can be." The player also thanked everyone who had supported him during this difficult time.
Captain's condemnation
Van Dijk reacts to the incident
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk condemned the incident as "a disgrace," calling for more action against racism in football. He said, "The only thing we can do is deal with it by dealing with him personally and try to educate the next generation." The Premier League is currently investigating the incident and has offered its support to Semenyo and both clubs involved.
Online abuse
Meta looking into the matter
Instagram's parent company, Meta, is also looking into the matter and will take action against any inappropriate comments or accounts. The incident comes just days after Mathys Tel was targeted with online abuse after missing a penalty in Tottenham's Super Cup loss to Paris St-Germain. Last month, England defender Jess Carter revealed she had also been racially abused during Euro 2025.
LIV vs BOU
Liverpool beat Bournemouth in season opener despite Semenyo's brace
The Premier League 2025-26 season opener saw Liverpool beat Bournemouth 4-2 at Anfield. The 37th minute of the contest saw Alexis Mac Allister find Hugo Ekitike in a pocket of space and the new Liverpool man was solid in front of goal. 4 minutes into the 2nd half, Cody Gakpo saw Ekitike set him up and he made it 2-0. Bournemouth then fought back and made it 2-2. Semenyo scored a quickfire double. However, Liverpool scored twice late on to win.
Incident
Match was stopped for a while after racial abuse allegation
The match was interrupted in between due to alleged racial abuse. Bournemouth forward Semenyo reported being racially abused by a spectator in the crowd. Referee Anthony Taylor halted play during a Liverpool corner in the 29th minute to address both managers on the touchline. The match resumed four minutes later. After the incident, Liverpool and Bournemouth captains Virgil van Dijk and Adam Smith were called over to the benches for a briefing. An anti-discrimination message was read out to the crowd after half-time.