'Completely unacceptable': Arsenal, Leeds condemn online abuse of Pepe, Alioski
Follow UsStory highlights
Both Pepe and Alioski were subjected to racial abuse from rival supporters after the match. Arsenal said that they will work with the police and authorities to trace and prosecute the culprits.
Premier League clubs Arsenal and Leeds United have strictly condemned abuse aimed at Nicholas Pepe and Ezgjan Alioski on social media following their goalless draw on Sunday. While Pepe was sent off after VAR officials spotted that the Arsenal forward had head-butted defender Alioski, the Arsenal winger was brandished a red card after referee Anthony Taylor took a look at the VAR monitor.
According to reports, both Pepe and Alioski were subjected to racial abuse from rival supporters after the match. Arsenal said that they will work with the police and authorities to trace and prosecute the culprits.
“We utterly condemn the vile abuse directed at Nicolas Pepe and Ezgjan Alioski on social media following our match against Leeds United,” Arsenal said in a statement.
“This is completely unacceptable and we will be working with the police and authorities to do everything we can to trace and prosecute the culprits.”
We utterly condemn the vile abuse directed at Nicolas Pepe and Ezgjan Alioski on social media following our match against Leeds.
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 23, 2020
This is completely unacceptable and we will be working with the police and authorities to do everything we can to trace and prosecute the culprits.
Whereas Leeds United also released a similar statement as they said they would not tolerate such abuse.
The vile abuse directed at Ezgjan Alioski and Nicolas Pepe on social media after yesterday’s game with Arsenal will not be tolerated by #LUFC.
— Leeds United (@LUFC) November 23, 2020
We will work closely with the police and the footballing authorities to ensure those responsible are identified and punished.
The extreme growth of social media has fueled discriminatory abuse towards footballers in recent years.
The likes of Patrick van Aanholt and winger Wilfried Zaha are among the players who have urged the authorities to take stricter action against racism after they were targeted.
Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, Paul Pogba; Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling and many other players from the Premier League and other European Leagues have suffered social media abuse over the years on the basis of their on-field or off-field life.