Former Super Eagles midfielder Mikel Obi has accused the English Football Association (FA) of disregarding his complaints of racism during his tenure at Chelsea, as reported by Soccernet.ng. Mikel’s allegations shed light on the ongoing problem of racism in football, with many black players continuing to face racial abuse in major leagues worldwide.
The issue of racism in football has garnered renewed attention following recent incidents involving high-profile players. Roma’s Romelu Lukaku and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior are among those who have spoken out about experiencing racial abuse during matches. Vinicius’s emotional press conference, where he broke down in tears while discussing the issue, underscored the deeply distressing impact of racism on players.
Commenting on the issue, Mikel expressed frustration with the authorities’ response to racism in football, citing his own experiences of reporting incidents during his time at Chelsea. Despite lodging complaints with both the club and the FA, Mikel revealed that no action was taken, leaving him feeling ignored and unsupported.
Mikel emphasized the emotional toll of racial abuse, stressing that more stringent measures are needed to combat the problem effectively. He called for stronger punishments to be imposed on perpetrators of racism, highlighting the inadequacy of current sanctions in deterring such behavior.
Despite various anti-racism campaigns launched in recent years, racism in football persists, indicating the need for more comprehensive and impactful measures to address the issue.