A soccer fan has received a three-year ban from attending games over a social media post. Charles Ogunmilade, 28, posted the message on X, formerly Twitter, on April 21, 2023, after a Premier League match between Arsenal and Southampton ended in a 3-3 draw. The post referenced a missed shot by midfielder Thomas Partey, with Ogunmilade writing disparagingly about Partey using a racial slur.
Ogunmilade, who is of Nigerian descent himself, defended his post in City of London Magistrates’ Court, stating it was intended as a joke among friends rather than a racist attack. He claimed that the comment was a coping mechanism for dealing with actual racism that supposedly infests soccer. He added that his message was a “thoughtless joke” shared after a private conversation.
Prosecutor Suleman Hussain sought a “football banning order” due to concerns that the message could incite racial hatred and inspire further abuse towards Partey and other black football players. Magistrate Shaoni Myer sentenced Ogunmilade—who, again, is black—to a fine, considering his early guilty plea and previous good character, but emphasized the necessity of the banning order due to the public nature of the post.
As part of the banning order, Ogunmilade must surrender his passport when England plays abroad.
The court had been contacted by police nearly ten months post-incident. Ogunmilade pleaded guilty to using a public communication network to send an offensive message, admitting his social media action was inappropriate.
