A 47-year-old man has been banned from attending football matches across the UK after being arrested on suspicion of racially abusing Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo during the Premier League opener at Anfield on Friday, August 15, 2025.
The incident occurred in the 29th minute of Friday’s clash between Liverpool and Bournemouth when Semenyo alerted the referee to the abuse.
Play was halted for four minutes as officials dealt with the situation, and the man, from Liverpool, was identified and escorted out of the stadium.
Merseyside Police confirmed he was arrested the following day on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence.
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On Sunday, August 17, 2025, the force announced he had been conditionally bailed, with strict terms preventing him from attending any regulated football matches in the UK or going within one mile of a designated football stadium.
The investigation remains ongoing in collaboration with Liverpool Football Club.
Despite the distressing incident, Semenyo responded with resilience, going on to score twice in the match, although Bournemouth eventually fell 4-2 to the defending champions.
After the game, Cherries captain Adam Smith praised his teammate’s courage:
“It shows what kind of man he is to report it to the ref and carry on. The Liverpool players were very supportive to Ant and the rest of the team.”
Semenyo later shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, saying:
“Last night at Anfield will stay with me forever, not because of one person’s words, but because of how the entire football family stood together.”
Meanwhile, Merseyside Police have urged witnesses or anyone with further information to come forward as they continue to investigate the matter.
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