A court has banned Charles Ogunmilade from attending football matches for three years after he posted a racist comment on social media targeting Ghanaian Arsenal player Thomas Partey.
Ogunmilade, who is black, admitted to posting the “grossly offensive” comment on X (formerly Twitter). He claimed the post was a parody of what a racist white person might say. After the comment was reported, police visited his home, leading to legal action.
In court, Ogunmilade insisted, “I am not a racist person,” and explained that the comment was intended as sarcasm among friends. Despite his explanation, Magistrate Shaoni Myer imposed the ban, citing the seriousness of the offense. The court also ordered Ogunmilade to surrender his passport whenever England’s men’s national team plays abroad.
The incident occurred in April 2023 during Arsenal’s 3-3 draw with Southampton, when Partey missed a shot. Along with the ban, Ogunmilade was fined £260 ($325) in court costs.
