Liverpool condemn 'dehumanising and cowardly' online racist abuse of Konate

[p]The France international was involved in a clash with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/osimhen-victor/23YHG47R/"]Victor Osimhen[/a], which resulted in the Galatasaray striker being substituted at half-time of their Champions League tie with what was later diagnosed as a broken arm.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a] won Wednesday's last-16 second leg at Anfield 4-0 for a 4-1 victory on aggregate.[/p][p]The incident with Osimhen led to centre-back [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/konate-ibrahima/QJlbDbQe/"]Konate[/a] being targeted on social media, behaviour which Liverpool said was "utterly unacceptable."[/p][p][b]"It is dehumanising, cowardly and rooted in hate. Racism has no place in football, no place in society and no place anywhere - online or offline," [/b]said a club statement.[/p][p][b]"Our players are not targets. They are human beings. The abuse that continues to be directed at players, often hidden behind anonymous accounts, is a stain on the game and on the platforms that allow it to persist."[/b][/p][embed guid="6a21a1c9-ba1d-4ff0-adb9-71c3313d01a8" url="https://x.com/LFC/status/2034978513535869383?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Liverpool called on social media firms to do more to combat racist abuse.[/p][p][b]"Social media companies must take responsibility and act now," [/b]the statement said.[/p][p][b]"The current situation cannot be allowed to continue. It must be confronted, challenged and eradicated - not tomorrow, but now."[/b][/p][p]Police launched an investigation after four Premier League players were the subject of online racist abuse on the same weekend last month.[/p][p]An official spokesman for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the government would put pressure on technology companies to provide greater protection after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/wolves/j3Azpf5d/"]Wolves[/a] striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arokodare-toluwalase/4IsrUYg1/"]Tolu Arokodare[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sunderland/WSzc94ws/"]Sunderland[/a]'s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mundle-romaine/Mqq7lUk6/"]Romaine Mundle[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fofana-wesley/Aw7tVHPM/"]Wesley Fofana[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/burnley/z3dmTMMO/"]Burnley[/a]'s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mejbri-hannibal/8ECeKtyS/"]Hannibal Mejbri[/a] were targeted.[/p]