Former England and Manchester United star Wayne Rooney has called for more severe punishments for clubs and a greater emphasis on anti-racism education after revealing a player “cried on his chest” following racial abuse during his time as manager of Major League Soccer team DC United.
Speaking on his new BBC podcast, Rooney discussed the need to eradicate racism in football, stating, “I had it in DC with one of my players who got racially abused and he was crying on my chest.”
He emphasized that racist slurs are not “throwaway” lines and cause significant harm.
Rooney’s comments come in the wake of a recent incident where Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo reported being racially abused by a fan during a match against Liverpool.
The Premier League opener was temporarily stopped, and a 47-year-old man from Liverpool was arrested, banned from all UK football stadiums, and conditionally bailed.
Rooney believes a “strong campaign for society” is needed to educate children, parents, and grandparents. He also advocated for hitting clubs with point deductions or financial penalties to force action. “You have to hit the clubs because that’s the only way it will stop,” he said.
The Football Association’s rule E20.1 gives it the authority to impose financial penalties or stadium closures for such offenses.
