Shrewsbury Town striker Fejiri Okenabirhie: Get tough with the racists

The Shrewsbury striker, who is of Nigerian descent, has called for the Bulgaria national team to be banned after the abuse that was aimed at England players in Monday’s Euro 2020 qualifier.

Okenabirhie, from London, has previously revealed how he was subjected to racial taunts while playing abroad as an Arsenal schoolboy. The 23-year-old believes much more needs to be done to combat the issue.

“I’m not really sure about the three-step protocol. It’s almost like giving them two chances to be racist and then the third time saying ‘it’s enough’,” said Okenabirhie. “I think there needs to be a harsher punishment. Bulgaria should maybe have to miss games for their fans to understand what it means.

“I don’t think banning a section or giving a fine to the FA will affect it. Something needs to be done. Being racist is an offence. It should be dealt with.

“But the Bulgarian FA have the power to deal with it. If they’re punished they will be more hasty in dealing with individuals.

“It’s funny because even after the game they were denying it, saying it wasn’t happening, it’s hard to punish people that don’t think they’re in the wrong.”

Okenabirhie feels the behaviour in Bulgaria was from a ‘different world’ and called into question the upbringing of those who believe such action is acceptable.

He continued: “It’s almost like a different world over there, their values and morals are different and that’s why there are so many born thinking like that. It does come down to education and the culture they are in.

“If we can educate then we can make more changes.”

The striker, who has returned to fitness and is set to be involved for Town at Lincoln City tomorrow, says he is fortunate not to have been a target of racial attacks while at Shrewsbury but pities the sport’s high-profile victims.

He believes the brunt of racism in England today is delivered through social media, where anonymous culprits are not held to account.

“Since I’ve been playing it’s more online now,” he added. “That’s probably where the worst of it is.

“On social media people message you that you don’t even know. They abuse Premier League players for missing a penalty or scoring an own goal. It’s still something that needs to be tackled.

“People are able to hide behind fake accounts, so people don’t know who it is actually doing it.”