Sunderland AFC have taken swift action after Brian Brobbey was on the receiving end of vile racist abuse in the aftermath of Sunday's 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur
Sunderland AFC have released a statement after Brian Brobbey was targeted by abhorrent online racist abuse on Sunday.
The Black Cats ran out 1-0 winners over Tottenham Hotspur at the Stadium of Light, Nordi Mukiele's second-half strike making the difference in the encounter. However, in the aftermath, Brobbey's Instagram page was flooded by racist comments from hateful online social media users.
In the aftermath, Sunderland AFC have now released a statement to confirm they have taken action. It read: "Sunderland AFC condemns in the strongest possible terms the racist abuse directed at Brian Brobbey on social media following Sunday's fixture against Tottenham Hotspur.
"We stand firmly with Brian and offer him our full and unwavering support. This is not an isolated incident.
"Recent abuse directed at Romaine Mundle and Lutsharel Geertruida highlights the ongoing and unacceptable frequency of this behaviour, both inside stadiums and online.
"The club has reported the incident to the Premier League, the relevant social media platforms, and the police, and we expect swift action to be taken against those responsible.
"Racism is abhorrent and has no place in or game or in society, and we will continue to call it out clearly and unapologetically every time it occurs.
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"Football must be a safe and inclusive environment for all - without exception."
It comes as a number of Sunderland players have been on the receiving end of racist abuse this season.
The club confirmed that they were "working with the relevant authorities and online platforms to identify those responsible" and pledged to take the "strongest possible action" in February, when Mundle was targeted by hateful online comments.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United also released a statement when Geertruida was reportedly targeted with in-person abuse by a crowd member at St James' Park in last month's Tyne-Wear Derby.
They wrote: "We are aware of a report of racism made by a visiting player against someone in the crowd during our Premier League match against Sunderland.
"Our stance is clear - we do not tolerate discrimination of any form.
"We will work with the authorities to fully investigate and will ensure any individuals are identified and held accountable."