Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger reported being targeted by monkey chants during his club’s clash against Spurs (Picture: Rex)

The Government has been urged to open an investigation into racism in football after Antonio Rudiger was allegedly racially abused during Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs have vowed to investigate after the Chelsea defender reported being targeted with monkey chants during the second half of the Premier League clash on Sunday.

Last night Rudiger called for racist fans to ‘get some basic education’.

The Professional Footballers Association (PFA) said it was ‘dismayed and disgusted’ at the claims of abuse in north London and have pushed for a Government inquiry.


A spokesman said: ‘The PFA calls for a government inquiry into racism and the rise in hate crime within football, and immediate and urgent action.’



Today, sports minister Nigel Adams will meet with the directors of Tottenham Hotspur to discuss the club’s investigation.

He tweeted on Sunday: ‘Depressing to see today’s events at White Hart Lane.

‘I welcome Spurs investigation and will be speaking with the club’s directors tomorrow. There is no place for racism or any kind of discrimination in football or anywhere else.’

Sports minister Nigel Adams said he would be meeting with directors at Spurs today (Picture: Parliament TV)

The Professional Footballers Association (PFA) has pushed for a Government inquiry into football racism (Picture: Twitter)

Labour said Premier League football clubs that failed to weed out racist fans should have to play at empty grounds.

Shadow sports minister Dr Rosena Allin-Khan said yesterday: ‘Another instance of racism today. It wasn’t acceptable during Eng vs Bulgaria and it’s not acceptable now.

‘If clubs don’t find perpetrators they should play matches behind closed doors.’

And Tottenham MP David Lammy – who hinted he may run in the upcoming Labour leadership contest – said he was ‘appalled to hear about racist incidents by Spurs fans’ and urged for the culprits to be ‘punished’.

After the incident was reported to referee Anthony Taylor, an announcement was read out three times via the stadium Tannoy stating that ‘racist behaviour among spectators is interfering with the game’.

In an impassioned plea following the clash, former England defender and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said players should walk off the pitch if they heard racism emanating from the crowd.

Antonio Rudiger reported being targeted with monkey chants during the second half of the Premier League clash on Sunday (Picture: Sky Sports)

The ex-Manchester United star pointed the finger at Britain’s two main political parties, the Conservatives and Labour, for allowing racism to prosper in their own ranks.

Boris Johnson’s Tories have been dogged by allegations of Islamophobia in recent years, and Labour has struggled to purge its membership of those accused of being anti-Semitic.

Neville said: ‘We have just had an election in this country where both main parties and the leaders of both main parties are accused constantly over the last month of fuelling racism and accepting racism within their parties.

‘If it is accepted at the highest office in the country, we are not talking about it at a micro level – we are talking about it at an absolutely enormous level, the highest office in the country.

‘We maybe have to empower the players to walk off the pitch and stop the entertainment while it’s happening because that’s the only way I can see it changing.’



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A spokesman for Tottenham Hotspur said: ‘Any form of racism is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our stadium.’

The club said it would take the ‘strongest possible action’ against fans found to have engaged in abuse, including bans from the newly-built £1 billion stadium.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson described racist chanting during England’s World Cup qualifier against Bulgaria in October as ‘vile’.

He added such behaviour had ‘no place in football or anywhere else’.

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