The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has backed defender Calvin Bassey who was racially abused after scoring for club Fulham FC in their FA Cup penalty kick win over Manchester United on Sunday.
The 25-year-old shared some of the online abuse he received after the fifth round match prompting the NFF to release a statement condemning the same.
A statement from NFF says the association “stands firmly against all forms of discrimination, including racial abuse, and fully supports @CalvinBassey in the face of these unacceptable actions. We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for all players, both on and off the field. Calvin has our unwavering support, and together, we will continue to fight against racism in football and society.”
Earlier, Fulham also released a statement saying: “We strongly condemn this abhorrent behaviour which has no place in football or society. Such actions are entirely unacceptable, and we stand in full support of Calvin Bassey. We will do everything in our power to work with the relevant authorities in identifying the perpetrators of these vile messages and taking the strongest form of action against them.”
The defender had given Fulham the lead before Bruno Fernandes equalized in the second half to drag the game into post-match penalties which saw Marco Silva’s men prevail. Fulham will now face Crystal Palace in the quarterfinals of the cup.
Bassey has since been called to the Super Eagles squad alongside his Fulham team-mate Alex Iwobi, and Wilfred Ndidi of Leicester City for the forthcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month.
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