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 ordered not to go within a mile of any football stadium – and to avoid matches.
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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Antoine Semenyo. Pic: Reuters
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”.
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.
