EFL Championship club Luton Town has denounced the racist abuse directed at its player Elijah Adebayo, a British-born Nigerian, after he scored his first goal of the season in a 2-1 loss to Sunderland. On Wednesday night, Adebayo was subjected to vile messages on social media, marking a troubling repetition of a similar incident exactly a year prior.
In a powerful statement titled "Is it Ever Going to Stop?" Luton Town expressed unwavering support for Adebayo. The statement detailed that an Instagram user in the UK sent a racist message to Adebayo’s account at 8:28 pm BST, soon after the game. The club promptly reported the abuse to the police and Meta, the platform’s parent company, for investigation.
"Just like we said a year ago... we will stand by and support Elijah unequivocally," the club stated, challenging the individual to confront Adebayo openly. "If you do, you will be faced with everyone at Luton Town Football Club, standing side-by-side with Elijah.”
The club also emphasized its commitment to combating racism, noting the urgency for widespread education on the unacceptability of such behavior. Acknowledging that the issue persists, Luton Town added, “We are all Luton and will continue to champion these initiatives until the message gets through.”
Reflecting on the broader question of racial abuse in sports, the club concluded with a call for unity and respect, underscoring, “There is no room for racism.”
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