LONDON: English Championship side Luton called out “cowardly” racist abuse aimed toward Elijah Adebayo on social media on Thursday, daring the culprit to face the striker in person.
Adebayo had also been subjected to racist abuse last season while playing in the Premier League.
Luton said the latest incident that occurred during the Hatters’ 2-1 defeat to Sunderland on Wednesday, in which Adebayo scored, had been reported to both the police and social media company Meta.
“To the individual who cowardly dropped into Elijah’s DMs (direct messages): We know who you are and you know who you are. You’re not a faceless account, one which we have sadly become accustomed to reporting in recent years,” Luton said in a strongly-worded statement.
“But as if you have the balls to come to Kenilworth Road and say it to his face. We dare you. If you do, you will be faced with everyone at Luton Town Football Club, standing side-by-side with Elijah.”
Premier League players have been taking the knee before matches in October in support of the “no room for racism” campaign.
Luton’s statement added: “The question remains: how much longer will our players, our heroes — fellow human beings for crying out loud — be targeted because of the color of their skin? There is no room for racism.”
