Arsenal fan gets 3-year ban from games for racist social media post about Thomas Partey

LONDON (AP) — A soccer fan who racially abused Arsenal player Thomas Partey in a social media post was banned from all games for three years on Tuesday.

Charles Ogunmilade, who is Black, had admitted sending a “grossly offensive” message on X which he claimed was a satire of what a racist white person would say.

He posted the offensive comment in April 2023 after Partey, a Ghana international who is Black, missed with a shot during Arsenal’s 3-3 draw with Southampton.

The court in London was told the post was reported to police, who visited Ogunmilade’s home. He said the comment was intended to be a sarcastic quote among a group of friends.

“I am not a racist person,” Ogunmilade said in court.

Sentencing him, magistrate Shaoni Myer said Ogunmilade’s early guilty plea, his previous good character and experience of racism were taken into account.

The soccer banning order also requires him to give his passport to police each time the England men’s national team plays an away game in another country. He was ordered to pay a fine and costs totaling 260 pounds ($325).

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer