‘Maybe we are alone’: Jude Bellingham questions whether authorities ‘care’ about racist abuse directed at Black footballers
He was sent a ‘racially tinged’ text message on his smartphone
The former Arsenal winger was left ‘devastated’ by the abuse he faced
In his first public intervention since the scandal broke he said: ‘I don’t think it’s an issue of concern for the police’
‘If you turn a blind eye to this stuff, then we will see more of it’
The Manchester United footballer said abuse is ‘not acceptable’
A former Arsenal winger has said racism is on the rise in football and that racism is ‘not acceptable’ in the game despite numerous reports of abuse against Black and ethnic minority players.
Jude Bellingham, 29, the club’s academy director, said he was’miserable and traumatised’ after being sent a ‘racially tinged’ text message after the team beat Liverpool on Tuesday night.
In a letter posted on the Arsenal website on Saturday night he said: ‘I would like to address the issue of racism towards members of our club’s academy, players and staff.
‘There would be no question that we are all the victims of this epidemic. One player was murdered in the club’s city at the weekend, another received threats, and we are all the recipients of hate, abuse and violence.
‘But while there is a real and urgent problem of bigotry in football, there can be no doubt that the game has done nothing to prevent this and I do not believe that we will see any drastic change in this matter until football itself starts to address this issue.
‘I do not believe that such abuse is acceptable, it is not an issue of concern for the police, and we must demand action from our governing bodies. If you turn a blind eye to this stuff, then we will see more of it.
‘In order to do this, we must begin to look at ourselves and the way we live our lives and find a way out of this cycle that has been allowed to run unchecked.
