Arsenal fan banned for racially abusing footballer

An Arsenal fan who racially abused midfielder Thomas Partey on social media has been banned from matches for three years.

Charles Ogunmilade, 28, admitted posting a "grossly offensive" message on X attacking the Gunners player for missing a goal during the team's 3-3 draw with Southampton on 21 April last year.

City of London Magistrates' Court heard the comment was intended be satire.

Magistrates said there was "no choice" but to hand him the three-year football banning order and that a conditional discharge "would not be appropriate".

The court heard Ogunmilade took to social media after Partey sent a shot over the crossbar and the post was reported to police.

Suleman Hussain, prosecuting, said Ogunmilade told officers the post was intended to be a sarcastic quote within a friendship group.

"He said the group would mimic what a white racist would say," he said.

In mitigation, Ogunmilade, who is of Nigerian descent and represented himself, told the court that he and his friends had been affected by the racism directed at England's black players after the team lost in the Euro 2020 final.

"Our coping mechanism was to make fun of it, to limit the power these people have over you," he said.

"I am not a racist person."

Ogunmilade said he was concerned about how the ban, which would also require him to surrender his passport to police every time England played an away game, could impact his career and ability to visit his family in Nigeria.

Magistrate Shaoni Myer said the panel had taken into account Ogunmilade's early guilty plea, his previous good character, his personal circumstances, his experience of racism, and his intention for the post to be satire.

Ogunmilade was ordered to pay a fine of £125, a surcharge of £50 and an £85 contribution to the prosecution's costs.

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