Canada ‘deeply disturbed’ by online racist abuse of player after Copa America opener against Argentina

Canada Soccer says it is “deeply disturbed” by the racist abuse directed at one of its players after their Copa America opener against Argentina on Thursday.

Canada did not mention the player by name, but defender Moise Bombito received racist comments on his Instagram page after his side’s 2-0 loss. The 24-year-old had attracted attention after tackling Argentina captain Lionel Messi, catching the 36-year-old on the ankle.

Messi received treatment after the challenge but was medically cleared to continue and assist Argentina’s second goal of the match in the 88th minute.

Canada condemned the racist abuse in a statement that read: “Canada Soccer is aware of and deeply concerned by racist comments made online directed at one of the men’s national team players following tonight’s match. We are communicating with CONCACAF and CONMEBOL about this.”

Bombito later responded to the abuse on Instagram, posting: “My beautiful Canada. No room for that BS.”

Bombito and Messi during the match (Omar Vega/Getty Images)

A spokesperson for Meta, which owns Instagram, said: “We do not tolerate racist abuse on Instagram and have removed the offensive comments against Moise Bombito.”

A CONMEBOL statement said: “We condemn everywhere and on every occasion the attitude of intolerance that hides behind accounts on social platforms under any form of expression.

“This CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 is the biggest and most challenging continental tournament in our history and that is why today more than ever we will raise our flag against any form of racist expression.”

“We are now working with the federation and with our colleagues at CONMEBOL and FIFA to explore ways to investigate the accounts that have posted racist material,” a CONCACAF statement said.

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French trio Aurelien Tchouameni, Kingsley Coman and Randal Kolo Muani, meanwhile, all received racist abuse on their social media accounts in the wake of their national team’s 2022 World Cup final defeat to Argentina.

There were also reports of racist chanting in the streets of Buenos Aries by Argentina fans during celebrations for their 2022 World Cup victory, and effigies of France captain Kylian Mbappe were shown on social media with a group of fans holding an inflatable doll with the image of Mbappé. name tag from a rope; another set fire to the lid of a pretend coffin decorated with the attacker’s face.

Thursday night’s match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta saw goals from Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez and Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez secure a 2-0 victory and a winning start for Argentina’s Copa America defense.

Lionel Scaloni’s team will play Chile in the next group match on Tuesday, while Canada will play Peru earlier that day.

(Top photo: Omar Vega/Getty Images)