Former Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi has spoken out against the English Football Association (FA) for failing to address racism complaints during his time in the Premier League.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Mikel expressed frustration with the lack of action taken by authorities in response to incidents of racial abuse. He recounted instances where he reported racism to Chelsea and the FA, only to see no meaningful repercussions for the offenders.
“I get emotional about it, sometimes I say what I’m not supposed to say. But it’s the authorities, they decide. The punishment is nowhere near what they deserve,” Mikel told Al Jazeera.
“We are talking about someone being insulted because you’re a certain colour. We are the same people and the same humans.
“I think a lot more can be done, a lot more should be done, it’s about time. You can’t say you’re looking for some geezer who insulted somebody at one football ground, and you’re gonna ban him for life. That doesn’t change anything, it still goes on. Vinicius, Lukaku have been through things like that.
“When we were playing, I had the same thing as well when we lost games at Chelsea. The club reported it to the FA, but nothing was done, zero was done. We just had to ignore it.
“When I reported to Chelsea, and they reported to the FA, nothing was done, ignored, nothing happened. I had to go back the next weekend, try to put on a smiling face and continue doing my job. That was what it was then.”
Mikel made 372 appearances, contributing 19 goals (five goals, 13 assists) during his time at Chelsea.
As debates around racism in football continue, Mikel’s outspoken stance serves as a reminder of the urgent need for action to create a more inclusive and equitable environment in the sport.
