Dutch Players Targeted by Online Racist Abuse After Penalty Shootout Loss to Morocco
Racist Abuse Following World Cup Penalty Shootout
By Mark Gleeson
ATLANTA, June 30 (Reuters) - Netherlands players who missed penalties in Monday’s World Cup penalty shootout defeat by Morocco suffered racist abuse online, the Dutch football association (KNVB) said on Tuesday.
Details of the Penalty Shootout and Abuse
Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber and Crysencio Summerville all failed to find the net as Morocco edged the Dutch 3-2 on penalties after their last-32 match in Monterrey ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time, and were subjected to discriminatory, racist and hateful comments on social media, said the KNVB.
KNVB's Response to Online Discrimination
"We find this appalling, and we will file a case with ‘Meld Online Discriminatie’ (Report Online Discrimination).
Legal Actions and Potential Consequences
“Once a report is filed, their legal staff assess whether the statement constitutes a punishable offence. This can lead to a formal complaint being lodged with the Public Prosecution Service, which may then initiate a criminal investigation," the FA added.
Previous Incidents of Racist Abuse in Football
This is not the first time players have faced racist online abuse after missing penalties at a major tournament.
England’s Experience After Euro 2021
England’s Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho suffered abuse following the European Championship final loss to Italy in 2021, leading to two people being sentenced to prison and another receiving a suspended sentence.
Law Enforcement Response
In the weeks following the tournament, British police arrested multiple individuals as part of a widespread crackdown on online hate speech targeting the players.
KNVB's Stance on Discrimination in Football
"Football brings together millions of different people, whereas discrimination does the exact opposite. It therefore runs counter to everything football stands for," added the KNVB.
(Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Ken Ferris)
