"Speaking up isn't easy" - Raheem Sterling sends letter to racially abused fan

Raheem Sterling told Ethan Ross to "be proud"

Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling has written a letter offering support to a young football fan who was racially abused.

The letter, which emerged online on Thursday morning, was addressed to a young supporter named Ethan Ross, whose grandmother Sue contacted Sterling about racial abuse he had suffered.

In the letter, Sterling praises the fan for his bravery and urges him to remain strong.

The letter reads:

"Dear Ethan,

"I have recently been told from your loving Nanna Sue about the tough time you are having with racial abuse.


"Remember to stand tall and be proud of who you are and don't let them take away your courage. You are strong and very brave, and your Nanna is also very proud of you. Keep being you kid.

"Remember speaking up doesn't always make life easy, but easy never changed anything.

With kind regards,

Raheem Sterling"

“Speaking up isn’t easy, but easy never changed anything.” 👏@sterling7 offering support to a young fan who was racially abused 🙌 pic.twitter.com/uSrRBfsII8 — COPA90 (@Copa90) January 10, 2019

Sterling - who himself has been subject to consistent racist abuse for the majority of his career - has rightly been praised for reaching out to the fan, with a number of supporters crediting him as a "class act" and criticising sections of the media for their treatment of him.