Chelsea, Burnley Issue Statement Against Racist Abuse Targeting Wesley Fofana And Hannibal Mejbri After 1-1 Draw At Stamford Bridge

Chelsea hosted Burnley at Stamford Bridge on February 21, 2026, for their Premier League clash, where the Blues blew their lead and drew 1-1 instead of getting three points on the board. Chelsea player Joao Pedro scored for Chelsea in the opening five minutes of the game. While they had many opportunities to double their lead in the match, they failed to convert, and they blew it in stoppage time with a goal from Zian Flemming.

Adding to their woes, the Blues were down to 10 men by the end of the match, as Wesley Fofana was shown a red card in the second half, having picked up a yellow in the first half. Following the match, Fofana took to social media to share some images, showcasing the racist abuse he received after his dismissal in the match. Burnley player Hannibal Mejbri was another player who came out to talk about the racial remarks he received after the full-time whistle.

Both clubs have since then condemned the racial abuse received by their respective players and expressed that they have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of discrimination.

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Chelsea, Burnley Release Statements Condemning Racist Abuse

Burnley, in a statement, said they were 'disgusted' and that they had reported the incident to Meta (Instagram's parent company), the Premier League, and the police.

The statement shared, "Everyone at Burnley FC is disgusted by the online racist abuse directed at Hannibal following today's Premier League fixture. There is no place for this in our society, and we condemn it unreservedly. The Club continues to be unequivocal in its stance -- we have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of discrimination."

Meanwhile, Chelsea shared that they are behind Wesley Fofana and that they will work with the relevant authorities and platforms in identifying the perpetrators and taking the strongest possible action.

They shared, "Chelsea Football Club is appalled and disgusted by vile online racist abuse directed at Wesley Fofana. The targeted racist abuse Wes has been subjected to following today's Premier League fixture against Burnley is abhorrent and will not be tolerated. 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."

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Wesley Fofana To Miss Out On Chelsea's Next Match

Following his red card in the match against Burnley after receiving the second yellow card of the night, Wesley Fofana will miss out on Chelsea's clash against Arsenal in the Premier League on March 1, 2026.