Wolves throw their weight behind Arokodare condemning the racist abuse thrown at him

ENGLISH Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers have issued a strong-worded statement backing Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare condemning the recent spate of racial abuse he has received following his penalty miss against Crystal Palace.

Last Sunday, bottom side Wolves lost 0-1 to Palace at Selhurst Park but things might have been different had Arokodare scored a first half penalty. This miss and the subsequent loss of the match led to a section of the Wolves fans turning on the striker, with a minority resorting to throwing racist abuse at him on social media.

Condemning this, the club said they were disgusted by numerous instances of racist abuse, from multiple perpetrators aimed at Arokodare. Wolves added that Arokodare has their full and unwavering support, stressing that no player should be subjected to hatred for simply doing his job.

Their statement read:"There is no place for racism in football, online, or anywhere in society. We condemn this abhorrent and unlawful behaviour in the strongest possible terms."

Wolves confirmed that the posts have been reported to the relevant platforms and that they will work with the Premier League and authorities to identify those responsible. In addition, the club also reiterated a zero-tolerance stance on all forms of discrimination.

In that match, Wolves were beaten late by Palace after substitute Evann Guessand scored in the 90th minute. This came as a bitter blow as Arokodare, 23, saw his penalty saved by Dean Henderson after Mateus Mané was fouled in the box in the first half, with the defeat leaving Wolves rooted to the bottom of the table, 19 points adrift of safety with 10 games remaining.

For Arokodare, the latest setback comes at a time he is also fighting to revive his international career. He was omitted from Nigeria's final squad for the last Africa Cup of Nations despite making the provisional list. .

Now enjoying more playing time at Wolves, Arokodare has made it clear that he hopes to force his way back into the national team set-up ahead of the next international window. Despite the challenges on and off the pitch, the striker remains focused on proving his worth for both club and country.