Prince William condemns racism against youth soccer club
Prince William has expressed his support for a youth soccer club facing racist abuse.
The Prince of Wales, who is president of the Football Association (FA), sent a letter to Alpha United Juniors in Bradford, England in which he expressed concern for the racist comments players had received recently.
"Racism and abuse has no place in our society," he wrote in the letter, obtained by Sky News. "Abhorrent behaviour of this nature must stop now and all those responsible be held to account."
William added that he was "deeply concerned" by their experiences and insisted that those involved "must be held accountable". He also confirmed that he had contacted the FA, English soccer's governing body, about the issue.
Alpha United chair Mohammed Waheed wrote to Kensington Palace in January after contacting the FA multiple times. He expressed his dissatisfaction with its investigation into the racial abuse.
In November 2022, players spoke out on their own channels about hearing racist slurs from the sidelines at games.
William, who has been FA President since 2006, previously made a statement on Instagram in 2021 condemning the "despicable" comments made against professional players.
"Racist abuse - whether on the pitch, in the stands, or on social media - is despicable and it must stop now," he wrote at the time. "We all have a responsibility to create an environment where such abuse is not tolerated, and those who choose to spread hate and division are held accountable for their actions."
