Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo has thanked fans across the globe for their support in the face of racist abuse during his side’s Premier League opener.
The Cherries’ 4–2 defeat to Liverpool was temporarily halted midway through the first half after Semenyo reported hearing racist abuse from a supporter inside Anfield. The fan in question was subsequently removed from the game, police have confirmed.
After responding on the pitch by netting two goals and nearly earning his side a hard-fought point, Semenyo took to social media to thank everyone for their support.
“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,” Semenyo wrote.
“To my Bournemouth teammates who supported me in that moment, to the Liverpool players and fans who showed their true character, to the Premier League officials who handled it professionally—thank you. Football showed its best side when it mattered most.
“Scoring those two goals felt like speaking the only language that truly matters on the pitch. This is why I play—for moments like these, for my teammates, for everyone who believes in what this beautiful game can be.
“The overwhelming messages of support from across the football world remind me why I love this sport. We keep moving forward, together.”
Responding to the incident, chief inspector Kev Chatterton, the match commander, said: “Merseyside Police will not tolerate hate crime of any form.
“We take incidents like this very seriously, and in cases like this we will be proactively seeking football banning orders, with the club, against those responsible.”
READ THE LATEST TRANSFER NEWS AND RUMORS FROM WORLD SOCCER
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Antoine Semenyo Offers Heartfelt Response to Racist Abuse in Liverpool Defeat.