Chelsea & Burnley Condemn Racial Abuse of Fofana & Mejbri

Fofana hit by racist abuse after Chelsea draw

Chelsea and Burnley condemn racist abuse of Wesley Fofana and Hannibal Mejbri after Stamford Bridge draw.

Fofana and Mejbri share racist messages after Chelsea game, clubs call for action...

Chelsea and Burnley have condemned the racial abuse directed at Wesley Fofana and Hannibal Mejbri following their 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge. The abuse came after Fofana was sent off in the 72nd minute for a second yellow card.

Fofana shared screenshots of the racist messages he received on Instagram, highlighting the vile nature of the abuse. Mejbri also faced similar racist abuse on social media, with both clubs and players calling for action against the offenders.

The clubs are working with authorities to address the issue and support the players. 

“2026, it’s still the ‌same thing, nothing changes,“ the Frenchman wrote on Instagram. “These ‌people are never punished. You create big campaigns against racism, but nobody actually does anything.”

Chelsea FC has issued a strong statement condemning the abuse, as posted on their official website.

“Such behaviour ‌is completely unacceptable and runs counter to ⁠the values of the ‌game and everything we stand for as a club. There is no room for racism,” they said in a statement.

“We stand unequivocally with Wes. He has our full support, as do all our players, who are too often forced to endure this hatred simply for doing their job.

“We ⁠will work with the relevant authorities and platforms in identifying the perpetrators and take the strongest possible action.”

Hannibal Mejbri, who was involved in the incident leading to Fofana's dismissal, also shared the racist messages he received on social media. “Educate yourself and your kids,” Mejbri wrote in an Instagram story, calling out the abusers.

Burnley FC has released a statement backing Mejbri, emphasizing that there's no place for racism at the club. The club is standing in support of the midfielder during this challenging time.

“There is no place for this in our society and we condemn it unreservedly,” they said on their website.

🚨🚨| BREAKING: Wesley Fofana speaks out on Instagram after Chelsea’s draw.

The defender shared screenshots of racist abuse sent to him and called it out publicly after being blamed for the result.

There’s no place for racism in football. pic.twitter.com/QbH1AgDqfM

— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) February 21, 2026

“The club continues to be unequivocal in its stance - we have a zero-tolerance approach to any form ‌of discrimination.

“The club has reported the post to Instagram’s parent company, Meta, and expects strong support from them, together ‌with the Premier League and the police, and will work to ensure that the individual responsible is identified and investigated.“

The 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge lifted Chelsea into fourth place on goal difference, pushing Manchester United down. Michael Carrick's side face Everton on Monday and could reclaim the spot with a win.