Granit Xhaka publicly backs Romaine Mundle after Sunderland condemn alleged racist abuse following Fulham defeat
Granit Xhaka has publicly backed team-mate Romaine Mundle following Sunderland’s statement condemning alleged racist abuse directed at the winger.
Sunderland confirmed they were “appalled by the vile online racist abuse” aimed at Mundle following the Premier League fixture against Fulham on Sunday afternoon, adding that the club would work with the relevant authorities and platforms to identify those responsible.
Mundle endured a difficult afternoon at the Stadium of Light and later deleted his Instagram account amid the fallout. After the club released a strongly-worded statement on social media, Xhaka shared the post to his own Instagram story alongside a personal message of support.
Xhaka wrote on social media: “Why do things like this keep happening? When you’re winning, everyone stands behind you. The moment you lose, everything you’ve accomplished is forgotten. You should never forget where you come from!!! We are with you, Romaine.”
Xhaka’s message adds to the growing support for the 22-year-old within the dressing room, with Sunderland reiterating that those responsible “do not represent Sunderland AFC, our values, or our community - and they are not welcome on Wearside.” The club have pledged to take the strongest possible action available.
In a strongly-worded statement, the club said: “Sunderland AFC is appalled by the vile online racist abuse directed at Romaine Mundle following today’s Premier League fixture against Fulham. The abhorrent behaviour displayed by multiple individuals is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by the club under any circumstances.
“There is no place for racism in our society, and we stand with Romaine, who has our full support. The club is actively working with the relevant authorities and online platforms to identify those responsible, and we will take the strongest possible action available to us. These individuals do not represent Sunderland AFC, our values, or our community - and they are not welcome on Wearside.”
The Premier League, posting on social media after the game against Fulham at the Stadium of Light, added: “We join Sunderland in condemning the abhorrent online racist abuse targeted at Sunderland’s Romaine Mundle. There are serious consequences for anybody found guilty of discrimination and we will offer our full support with their investigations. Football is for everyone – there is no room for racism.”
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Racism in any form is a criminal offence, and football authorities continue to push for stronger measures to tackle discriminatory behaviour both inside stadiums and online. This is not the first time Mundle has been subjected to such abuse. In February 2025, Sunderland also condemned racist messages sent to the winger following a 1-0 home defeat to Hull City.
On that occasion, the then 21-year-old shared a screenshot of a discriminatory message he had received via Instagram. Sunderland responded by reiterating their zero-tolerance stance on all forms of discrimination and pledged to pursue the matter with the relevant authorities. In a statement at the time, the club said it would again seek “the strongest possible action” against those responsible and confirmed it would continue working with the authorities, the EFL and social media platforms to protect its players.
The club also called on Meta, the parent company of Instagram, to do more to tackle online abuse and remove discriminatory content more swiftly. Despite repeated campaigns across English football aimed at stamping out racism, players continue to face abuse online, prompting ongoing calls for stronger regulation and more robust sanctions.
Sunderland’s statement came on the same day that Wolverhampton Wanderers also condemned racist abuse directed at one of their players, underlining the persistent problem facing footballers across the English game. Wolves took the step of publishing screenshots of the messages sent to forward Tolu Arokodare, describing the abuse as both abhorrent and unlawful.
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