BRENTFORD have condemned racist abuse aimed at Ivan Toney on social media after Saturday’s draw against Arsenal.
In a statement, the Bees said Toney had been subjected to a “barrage of abusive, racist direct messages” on Instagram.
It came after Toney scored a controversial equaliser as the Bees picked up a well earned 1-1 draw at Arsenal.
Brentford said the striker, 26, was targeted by vile abuse straight after the match.
Toney was previously subjected to sickening racist abuse last October by a 24-year-old man following a 2-0 win over Brighton.
The club said in a strongly-worded statement on Sunday: “Immediately after Brentford’s game against Arsenal, Ivan Toney received a barrage of abusive, racist direct messages via his Instagram account.
Read More In Football
“We are disgusted and saddened that Ivan has had to deal with this yet again.
“We will not tolerate it and we will do everything we can to pursue the individuals involved.
“Ivan was subject to similar abuse in October last year, and the perpetrator is now facing the consequences in court.
“How many times does this need to happen?
Most read in Football
“We call on football fans everywhere to relish the competition and rivalry that exists between us, but to respect and embrace our differences and celebrate the diversity that exists throughout the Premier League.
“There is no room for racism.”
Arsenal also condemned the horrific abuse and said they “stand with” the Brentford striker.
A tweet said: “We stand with Ivan Toney and are working with Brentford to identify those who sent racist abuse.
“At Arsenal we condemn all forms of discrimination and take a zero tolerance approach.
“We will apply the strongest possible action to anyone we can identify sending hateful messages.”
Toney was superb as the Bees extended their unbeaten run to ten league games with a point against the table topping Gunners.
Alan Shearer said on Match of the Day: “He [Toney] made life so difficult for those Arsenal defenders today, particularly the two centre-halves, he gave them a torrid afternoon.
“He bullied them, he won every single header that went up to him. His hold-up play was superb.”
However, VAR failed to draw offside lines to check to see if Toney’s goal should have stood.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was left fuming that the effort was allowed to stand.
Arteta was adamant that Brentford defender Ethan Pinnock blocked Gabriel Magalhaes from an offside position and that Christian Norgaard was also offside when he crossed for Toney.
The Spaniard said: “I’ve looked back at the goal and it was offside. They haven’t explained why it wasn’t ruled out and we’ll be giving our views to the Premier League.
“You have to apply certain principles in defending set-pieces and you do that by sticking to the rules.
“But apparently they were not applied and if you suddenly change those rules you tell us before the game so you don’t defend with the line so high.
“We apply what the referee tells us every single week before the game – that if the blockers are offside then it will be ruled out.
“I also think their player was offside when he crossed the ball. I was hoping that the cameras and visuals would pick that up because it looks like there were two actions.
“But it’s too late and now we’ve dropped two points.”
Even Brentford boss Thomas Frank admitted: “I agree that when we took the free-kick, Pinnock is an offside position.
“Then, as far as I understand the football laws, the next question is did he influence the cross?
Read More on The Sun
“VAR decided it was not enough to rule out the goal and I agree.
“But every week there are VAR decisions that go marginally one way or the other.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
