A 47-year-old man, Mark Mogan of Dovecot, Liverpool, has been charged with a racially aggravated Section 5 public order offence following an alleged incident aimed at Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo during the Premier League match at Anfield on 15 August. Mogan has been conditionally bailed and is due to appear at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on 22 December.
Semenyo reported the alleged abuse to referee Anthony Taylor during the opening game of the season. Play was halted in the 29th minute while Taylor spoke with both managers, Liverpool boss Arne Slot and Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, and a spectator was removed from the stadium.
Match coverage noted the incident: commentator Peter Drury said Semenyo had been the target of a racist comment from the crowd, and former players and pundits described the behaviour as despicable. Sky Sports figures called the episode a sorry state that marred what should have been an outstanding night for the clubs involved.
Hollie Varney, CEO of anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out, praised Semenyo for how he handled the situation and urged football authorities to take the lead on consistently tackling abuse rather than placing the burden on players.
The Premier League has opened a full investigation and both clubs publicly condemned the alleged abuse. Semenyo, who scored twice as Liverpool beat Bournemouth 4-2, thanked teammates, opponents and supporters on social media for their backing, saying the solidarity he experienced “will stay with me forever” and that the support showed football at its best. He added that scoring his goals felt like “speaking the only language that truly matters on the pitch,” and expressed gratitude for the widespread messages of support.