Southampton working with police after Alex Jankewitz receives racist abuse online

Southampton have contacted Hampshire Police following the ‘abhorrent and archaic’ racist abuse received by Alex Jankewitz on social media after the Saints’ defeat to Manchester United.

The teenage midfielder was sent off two minutes into his full Premier League debut at Old Trafford for a high challenge on Scott McTominay.

Southampton went on to suffer a 9-0 loss – the joint record heaviest defeat in Premier League history – with Jan Bednarek also seeing red for the Saints in the final stages of the second half.

The Saints have revealed that Jankewitz has since received racist abuse on social media, but the club are working with the police to punish the culprits.

“Southampton Football Club can confirm that it has identified a number of posts on social media directing racial abuse at our 19-year-old midfielder Alex Jankewitz, following last night’s result at Manchester United,” a Southampton press release read.

“Abuse of any form will never be tolerated at Southampton. Our club prides itself on its inclusive nature, and supporters who stoop to such abhorrent and archaic standards are not welcome as Southampton supporters, or anywhere else within football. 

“The club will continue to fight every day to remove such people from our sport and our community in order to protect our players, our staff, Southampton fans and football supporters around the world who recognise and celebrate the diversity that makes football special.

“The club is passing on all abusive messages to Hampshire Police and hope they are able to permanently remove those individuals from our football community.”

Countless players have been victims of racist abuse on social media this season, leading to calls for tighter guidelines on who can access social media platforms. Manchester United trio Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Axel Tuanzebe and Fulham’s Cyrus Christie have all been on the receiving end of similar abuse in the last month alone.