A 47-year-old man from Liverpool has been arrested after Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo reported being racially abused during the Premier League opener against Liverpool, Merseyside Police have confirmed.
The Ghana international alerted referee Anthony Taylor in the 29th minute of Friday’s game at Anfield, leading to a stoppage and the ejection of a suspect from the stadium.
Police later arrested the man on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence. He is currently in custody and will be interviewed.
Semenyo, who scored twice in Bournemouth’s 4-2 defeat, was also targeted on Instagram later that night. The 25-year-old shared screenshots of the abuse on his story with the caption: “When will it stop?”
This latest incident adds to growing concerns over racism in football, with authorities pledging stronger action against offenders.
