LONDON, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- A man has been banned from every football stadium in the UK as part of his bail conditions after being arrested on suspicion of racially abusing Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo during the opening weekend of the Premier League.
The incident occurred in the 29th minute of Bournemouth's match against Liverpool at Anfield, when Semenyo reported the abuse to the referee, prompting a brief stoppage in play.
Merseyside Police confirmed that a 47-year-old man from Liverpool was arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence. He has since been released on conditional bail, which prohibits him from attending any regulated football match in the UK or entering within one mile of a football stadium. The investigation remains ongoing, with the force working alongside Liverpool Football Club.
Semenyo, 25, later posted on social media, saying the night would remain with him "forever" because of the way "the entire football family stood together." He thanked his teammates, Liverpool players and supporters, as well as the match officials, for handling the situation professionally.
The match resumed after a four-minute delay, with Semenyo going on to score twice in Bournemouth's 4-2 defeat.
The Premier League said it had launched its own investigation, while the Football Association issued a statement, stressing that "incidents of this nature have no place in our game" and pledging to work with clubs, officials and authorities to ensure appropriate action is taken. Enditem