A man has been released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of racially abusing Bournemouth player Antoine Semenyo.
The 47-year-old from Liverpool, who hasn’t been named, was banned from attending any regulated football match in the UK and from going within one mile of a designated football stadium as part of his bail conditions.
Semenyo complained during Friday’s match at Anfield and the game was temporarily paused while the referee spoke to the teams’ managers.
An anti-discrimination message was broadcast, and it is understood police went into the ref’s room at half-time.
Semenyo scored twice in the second half to help bring Bournemouth back from two goals down, before Liverpool went on to eventually win the contest 4-2.
The player said the messages of support he received were “overwhelming” and a reminder of why he loves the sport.
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On Saturday, Semenyo wrote: “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 Premier League said its “on-field anti-discrimination protocol” had been followed and the incident “will now be fully investigated”.
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The incident came two days after Tottenham Hotspur player Mathys Tel faced racist abuse online following a missed penalty in his team’s UEFA Super Cup loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
Merseyside Police said on Monday that its investigation was ongoing, and the force is continuing to liaise with Liverpool FC.
