Brentford striker Ivan Toney has once again become the victim of racial abuse on social media, the club announced on Wednesday. This distressing incident has left the club feeling 'angered and frustrated,' especially considering that it is not the first time Toney has been targeted in this manner.
In a strongly-worded statement, the club condemned the racist abuse that Toney has been forced to endure. The statement read, 'We are angered and frustrated to report that Ivan Toney has been subjected to racist abuse on Instagram once more. We have initiated investigations into this vile harassment which we condemn in the strongest terms.'
Sadly, this is not the first occasion where Toney has had to face such despicable behavior. Mere four weeks ago, he was subjected to a similar incident, prompting the club to identify a suspected perpetrator and report them to the relevant authorities. However, to this day, no action has been taken against this individual.
It is worth noting that Toney has previously been targeted by racial abuse on multiple occasions. Last year, a man received a three-year stadium ban after he abused Toney on social media. However, these isolated disciplinary actions are not enough to combat the systemic problem at hand.
Brentford has also taken aim at media companies, criticizing their lack of response to these ongoing issues. The club stated, 'In general, the response from social media platforms to these ongoing issues has been underwhelming. Their solutions, such as filters to simply hide the abuse, may safeguard the players but miss the mark entirely and do not discourage the offenders. Without real consequences for those responsible, the cycle is doomed to repeat.'
Despite the challenges, the club remains hopeful that change can be achieved. They appreciate the ongoing dialogue with platforms like Meta (formerly Facebook) but are urging for more decisive and urgent action to combat online hate. The club is calling for prompt investigations and, even more importantly, criminal prosecutions.
Brentford has reaffirmed its commitment to working with the authorities and the Premier League, as well as providing unwavering support to their players in the face of these repugnant acts of abuse.
On another note, Toney, who recently returned from an eight-month ban due to breaching betting rules, is expected to leave the club in the upcoming summer transfer window, according to Brentford manager Thomas Frank. Frank stated, 'It is relatively obvious that Ivan Toney will probably be sold this summer. It can be 'expensive' to sell your best player, but conversely, I also know that this summer he only has one year left on his contract with us.'
Frank further acknowledged Toney's exceptional ability as a striker, noting, 'We also know what he is worth. I don't think there are many strikers in the world who are better than him right now.' Toney himself has expressed his ambition to play for a top club in the future.
While Brentford did not receive any offers for Toney during the January transfer window, Frank anticipates significant interest in the player. However, as a coach, Frank expressed his personal preference to retain Toney, but he acknowledged that it would be exciting to witness him eventually join a top team.
The future remains uncertain for Toney, but one thing is clear: both he and Brentford football club are resolute in their fight against online abuse, standing together against racism and pushing for meaningful change within the football community.
