After Vinicius Jr., Fofana, Hannibal receive racial abuse after Chelsea-Burnley draw

Wesley Fofana and Hannibal Mejbri have been subjected to racial abuse following Chelsea's draw with Burnley in the Premier League. This happens days after Vinicius Jr was allegedly racially abused during the Real Madrid vs Benfica game.

Days after the Vinicius Jr. incident during the Real Madrid clash, the footballing world saw another incident of racial abuse as Hannibal Mejbri and Wesley Fofana were targeted on social media after the Chelsea-Burnley stalemate. Fofana, who was sent off in the 72nd minute after receiving a second yellow card for a challenge on James Ward-Prowse, shared screenshots of the racist messages he received on Instagram. He criticised the lack of effective punishments for offenders and highlighted ongoing issues in the fight against discrimination.

VINI JR. RACISM ROW EXPLAINED

Fofana wrote, "2026, it’s still the same thing, nothing changes," directly addressing what he sees as the failure of anti-racism campaigns to bring about meaningful change. Credit: Fofana Instagram

Chelsea promptly responded to the abuse with a strong statement, declaring there is "no room for racism" and pledging to collaborate with authorities to identify and punish those responsible. The club reiterated its commitment to eradicating discrimination from the sport.

"Such behaviour is completely unacceptable and runs counter to the values of the game and everything we stand for as a club. There is no room for racism," they said in a statement.

"We stand unequivocally with Wes. He has our full support, as do all our players, who are too often forced to endure this hatred simply for doing their job.