Hamza Choudhury reveals how Leicester team-mates helped him deal with racial abuse he suffered after his challenge on Mohamed Salah in 2019, insisting ‘it made me feel a lot better knowing you’re not by yourself’
Hamza Choudhury has revealed the support of his Leicester team-mates helped him cope when he received racist abuse online.
Choudhury was targeted on social media after a game against Liverpool in October 2019 following his challenge on Mohamed Salah that left him with ankle damage, and his club reported the matter to police.
Talking about abuse he has suffered, the midfielder said: ‘I screenshotted it and put it in our team group chat. Everyone was saying how disgusting it was and to obviously report it, which I did.
Hamza Choudhury was the target of racist abuse after playing Liverpool in October 2019
‘[They said] they were sorry that there were people like this – ignorant people – that still think it’s OK to hide behind fake accounts, or even real accounts. It made me feel instantly a lot better knowing that you’re not by yourself.
‘To be discriminated [against] for something that you have no choice in is probably the worst feeling, but my mum taught me that being different is good; loving yourself is so important.
‘It can affect you, especially mentally, but my mum also taught me to talk about it. Don’t lock it away, no matter how strong a person you feel you are. Everyone needs to talk, and everyone needs to get it off their chest.’
When fans are able to return to grounds, Choudhury wants them to report all incidents of racism.
The midfielder received horrific abuse after his challenge on Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah
Last June the Premier League launched a dedicated online reporting system for players, managers and their family members to help fight discriminatory abuse received on social media.
Choudhury added: ‘Don’t stand for it in any way, shape or form,’ he says. ‘Report the person and talk about it. It’s easy to be in a situation and take the back seat and say that it doesn’t affect you, but it does.
‘To be a bystander is almost as bad as committing the act yourself. So definitely speak out and do not let it stand.’
Choudhury has revealed how his Leicester team-mates helped him cope with the abuse