FIFA president Gianni Infantino has condemned the racist abuse suffered by AFC Bournemouth striker Antoine Semenyo during their Premier League opener against Liverpool at Anfield. The incident, which occurred on Friday night, briefly halted the match after the Ghanaian forward reported the abuse to referee Anthony Taylor.
In a statement released on Saturday, Infantino called the incident “absolutely unacceptable” and praised Semenyo for showing courage and composure under difficult circumstances. He stressed that racism has no place in football and commended the 25-year-old’s resilience in continuing to perform.
“It is absolutely unacceptable to see the racist abuse aimed at AFC Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo which led to a stoppage of their Premier League match against Liverpool FC at Anfield last night,” Infantino said. “Football has no place for racism or any form of discrimination. Antoine’s courage and performance on the pitch, despite such adversity, is a powerful example of strength and dignity for players worldwide.”
The FIFA president also assured Semenyo of full support from football’s governing body, noting the role of the Players’ Voice Panel, which was created in 2024 as part of FIFA’s five-pillar strategy against racism. He explained that the panel would be in contact with the player and continue monitoring the situation closely.
“Everyone at FIFA, the Players’ Voice Panel and the whole football community stands firmly with Antoine,” Infantino added. “We will continue to offer our unequivocal support to him, Bournemouth, the Premier League and The FA to ensure strong deterrents are in place and actions taken to eradicate racism and discrimination from our game.”
Despite the incident, Semenyo delivered a standout performance on the pitch. He scored twice to bring Bournemouth level at 2-2 after initially falling behind, showcasing both skill and determination in the face of adversity. However, late goals from Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah sealed a 4-2 victory for Liverpool.
The incident has reignited calls for tougher action against racism in football, with FIFA and other authorities under pressure to ensure players are better protected from abuse in stadiums worldwide.
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