Chelsea Football Club has issued a strong statement condemning the "abhorrent" racist abuse directed at defender Wesley Fofana following their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League. The 24-year-old shared screenshots of six racist messages he received on Instagram, prompting the club to take immediate action.

In their statement, Chelsea expressed their disgust at the "recent rise in online racial abuse" towards their players and emphasized that such behavior "will not be tolerated." The club has pledged its full support to Fofana and is working with relevant authorities to identify the perpetrators and take the "strongest possible action."

This incident is part of a disturbing trend in English football, with recent cases involving players like Calvin Bassey, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Kyle Walker, Joe Willock, and Khadija Shaw. Samuel Okafor, CEO of anti-discrimination organization Kick It Out, has described the level of abuse as reaching a "crisis point."

Fofana, who has made 14 Premier League appearances this season after recovering from a hamstring injury, has been a key player for Chelsea. The club has also reached out to Instagram's parent company, Meta, regarding the abusive posts.

Chelsea's swift response highlights their commitment to combating racism in football and ensuring the safety and well-being of their players.