'˜Racist attacks must stop' says players' union chief Fraser Wishart

PFA Scotland chief Fraser Wishart. Picture: Gary Hutchison/SNS

As English football tries to deal with the fallout from Manchester City striker Raheem Sterling being subjected to  racist taunts at Chelsea on  Saturday, the Scottish game has also been hit by a number of incidents in recent weeks.

A man has been given a police warning over abuse directed towards Falkirk player Dennon Lewis, and Celtic winger Scott Sinclair and Aberdeen full-back Shay Logan both hit back at acts of racism last week.

Two men were arrested on Saturday after Motherwell defender Christian Mbulu was the subject of alleged racist abuse while warming up during the Ladbrokes Premiership game against Hearts.

PFA Scotland chief executive Fraser Wishart said: “It is incredibly disappointing to see the recent rise in verbal racist attacks in Scottish football in the last few weeks. No player should have to face verbal abuse of any sort at their workplace, it is totally unacceptable and must stop.

“Show Racism the Red Card do a lot of good outreach work in our communities, but these incidents show there is still a lot of education to be done across not just football, but society as a whole.”

Falkirk appealed for help from supporters to track down fans who directed abuse towards their own player, Lewis, during a William Hill Scottish Cup defeat by Stenhousemuir last month.

A Police Scotland spokesperson revealed yesterday: “A 34-year-old man has been charged with a breach of the peace and issued with a formal police warning following an investigation into an incident which occurred during the Falkirk versus Stenhousemuir match on 24 November.”

Hearts issued indefinite bans to two supporters after the incident involving Mbulu at Tynecastle on Saturday.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Two men, aged 19 and 20, were arrested and charged in connection with the racial abuse of a Motherwell player at Tynecastle on Saturday 8 December 2018. A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.”

Sinclair last week branded mobile phone footage of an Aberdeen supporter directing racist abuse towards him during the Betfred Cup final at Hampden as an “absolute disgrace”, while Logan backed his opponent and called for a life ban.

Responding to claims on social media that he had been racially abused by a Rangers fan at Ibrox days later, Logan added on Twitter: “If using the skin colour of somebody is what u have to do to try to offend a fellow human being you are losing in life.”