Players subjected to racist abuse after Chelsea-Burnley draw

FootballSports
22 Feb 2026 • 8:00 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana and Burnley's Hannibal Mejbri were subjected to online racist abuse following their Premier League match, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
  • Both players shared screenshots of the private messages they received on Instagram, with Fofana commenting that "nothing changes" and Mejbri urging for education.
  • Chelsea condemned the abuse as "completely unacceptable" and pledged full support to Fofana, stating they would work with authorities to identify and take action against perpetrators.
  • Burnley also issued a statement, condemning the abuse "unreservedly" and emphasising that there is "no place for this in our society".
  • The incidents occurred amid increased scrutiny of football's response to racism, following a recent investigation into alleged abuse against Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior.

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