Chelsea legend Obi Mikel has accused the English Football Association of ignoring his complaints about racism while he was at Stamford Bridge.
The ex-Nigeria captain, who achieved success with Chelsea in England and with the Super Eagles at the Africa Cup of Nations and the Rio Olympics, expressed regret about the many times black players have faced racial abuse in top European leagues.
In early April, Romelu Lukaku, the captain of Belgium, revealed that he had experienced racial insults during a Serie A match between AS Roma and Inter Milan, sparking fresh controversy.
This incident occurred after Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior was targeted with racial abuse a month earlier.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Mikel stated that although efforts have been made to combat racism, more decisive actions are needed. He believes that just banning individuals who commit such acts at football stadiums is not enough to address the underlying issue.
“I get emotional about it; sometimes I say things I shouldn’t,” Mikel admitted.
“But it’s the authorities who decide. The punishment is nowhere near what they deserve. We are talking about someone being insulted because of their skin color.
“We are all the same people, the same humans.
Recalling his time at Chelsea, Mikel remembered instances of racism that were reported to the English Football Association but were not addressed, leaving players to endure mistreatment with no resolution.
“When we were playing, I had the same experience as well when we lost games at Chelsea,” Mikel revealed.
“When I reported to Chelsea and they reported to the FA, nothing was done, it was ignored, or nothing happened. I had to go back the next weekend, try to smile, and keep doing my job. That was how it was then.”
Despite the ongoing campaigns against racism, the issue still persists, indicating the need for more severe and thorough measures to address it in the long term.
Mikel dedicated over a decade to Chelsea, where he joined as a 19-year-old and achieved success in England, including winning the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League during his 11 years at Stamford Bridge.
