Antoine Semenyo froze after alleged racist abuse at Anfield, court hears
A court has heard that Antoine Semenyo briefly froze after a Liverpool supporter allegedly racially abused him during Bournemouth’s Premier League match at Anfield. Prosecutors say the abuse and a piece of chewing gum thrown at him left the forward visibly hurt and upset; the case concerns alleged racist conduct at a high-profile football match.
Mark Mogan, 47, denies racially aggravated behaviour. The incident allegedly took place on 15 August last year, about 30 minutes into the season opener: prosecutors say Mogan shouted a racist insult and later threw gum that struck Semenyo’s shorts. The player reported it to referee Anthony Taylor, and Mogan was removed at half-time; witnesses and video clips were discussed in court. Mogan told police he had shouted for Semenyo to hurry up and claimed he threw gum on the floor, not at the player.
- Prosecutors say Semenyo was racially abused at Anfield.
- The court heard gum allegedly struck his shorts.
- Mark Mogan denies racially aggravated behaviour.
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Antoine Semenyo is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bournemouth. Bournemouth compete in the Premier League, England’s top men’s football division, where they face clubs including Liverpool.
Racism in football can involve abuse aimed at players because of their race. Referees can report incidents during a match, while police and courts may consider whether a supporter’s conduct broke the law. A charge of racially aggravated behaviour is an allegation, and a court must decide whether it is proved.
The case concerns what was said and done during a match at Anfield, Liverpool’s home ground. It matters because it involves the treatment of a player at a major sporting event and how alleged abuse in football is handled.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The prosecution’s case is that the alleged racist insult and gum thrown at Semenyo were deliberate and caused visible distress, supported by his report to the referee, witness accounts and video clips. On this view, racist abuse at a public match warrants serious scrutiny because it harms the targeted player and undermines the expectation that football grounds are safe and welcoming.
The case against
Mogan denies racially aggravated behaviour and says he shouted for Semenyo to hurry up, while the gum landed on the floor rather than being thrown at him. A fair assessment should distinguish what is alleged from what is proved, examine the witness and video evidence carefully, and avoid treating removal from the ground as proof of guilt.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Footballer Antoine Semenyo ‘was racially abused by wheelchair-using Liverpool fan who also threw chewing gum at him’”.