UK

People guilty of racist abuse of footballers online will be banned from matches, PM says

Football banning orders will be changed to cover online racism, Boris Johnson has told MPs.

The prime minister said the government is “taking practical steps to ensure that the football banning order regime is changed”.

“So that if you are guilty of racist abuse online of footballers then you will not be going to the match. No ifs, no buts. No exemptions and no excuses,” he told the Commons.

Mr Johnson’s pledge comes in the wake of England stars Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka being subjected to racist abuse on social media.

The trio missed their spot kicks in England’s penalty shootout defeat to Italy in the final of Euro 2020 at Wembley on Sunday.

The PM’s commitment follows on from Labour calling for football banning orders to be extended to cover online abuse.