Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has become the subject of racist abuse on social media once again after missing a crucial penalty against West Ham on Sunday. Police have launched an investigation into the incident, which has once again shone a light on the ongoing issue of racism in football.
Saka, just 21 years old, could have given Arsenal a 3-1 lead in the match at London Stadium, but his missed penalty made West Ham play more determined. The match ended in a 2-2 draw. The young winger has been a standout for the Gunners this season, and his performances have been key to Arsenal’s hopes of winning their first Premier League title in 19 years.
After the game, Saka received a racist message on social media, prompting another user to tag the Metropolitan Police to report the hate crime. The Twitter account responded that the incident had already been reported and was currently being investigated.
This is not the first time Saka has been the target of racist abuse on social media. The England international was subjected to abuse following England’s shootout defeat against Italy in the Euro 2020 final. Despite the abuse, Saka has continued to perform well for both club and country, playing a key role in England’s World Cup campaign in December and scoring in their 2-0 win over Ukraine in March.
Fans and fellow players have rallied around Saka, with many jumping to his defence on social media. Arsenal legend Ian Wright expressed his support for Saka, saying that he would always be their “starboy” and that he expected everyone around Arsenal to offer their support as well. Wright also spoke out about the issue of racism in football, noting that it was a constant issue for black players.
The incident has once again highlighted the need for greater action to combat racism in football. While many have called for social media companies to take a stronger stance against hate speech, others have called for greater education and awareness-raising around the issue. As long as incidents like this continue to occur, it is clear that there is still much work to be done to eradicate racism from the sport.
In the meantime, Saka can take comfort in the fact that he has the support of his teammates, fans, and fellow players. As Wright noted, vocal support matters, and Saka can rest assured that he will always have people rallying around him in the face of racism and hatred.
