Kevin Danso, the Tottenham Hotspur defender, has stated that he will not allow racist abuse to define him following a wave of online harassment directed at him.
The club strongly denounced the “vile, dehumanising racism” targeting the Austria international after Spurs’ 2-2 draw with Brighton on April 18. Tottenham subsequently reported the abuse to law enforcement.
The 27-year-old revealed to ITV News that he previously encountered racist abuse while playing in Germany but chose not to tell anyone at the time. “The last time I did experience it, I was very young and I didn’t tell anybody about it,” Danso said. “This time it was important to say something, just address it and make sure that people are aware I’ve seen it. It’s not going to make me play any different and definitely there’s no need for it and basically you’re wasting your time.”
The abuse occurred during the Premier League’s No Room For Racism campaign in April, which aims to promote diversity and combat discrimination in football. In a statement at the time, the Premier League said discriminatory abuse has “absolutely no place in football or wider society.” It added, “Anybody who chooses to abuse others is not welcome in our game and they are not a true fan. It is clear that more needs to be done to address this issue, and we will work alongside clubs, football bodies, law enforcement, and social media companies to ensure this remains a priority for all.”
Danso, who previously played for Augsburg and Lens before permanently joining Tottenham in May 2025, emphasized that he tries not to let the abuse affect him. “I just try to not let it have as much of an effect on me and how I feel about myself and my performance in order to continue to play at a very high level,” he added. “I grew up in Austria, facing racism quite a bit, being in a predominantly white country. But again, I think I’ve learned how to deal with it in a way. It just doesn’t define me and it doesn’t belong in the world of football.”
Earlier in May, Merseyside Police arrested an Everton fan during his side’s match against Manchester City for alleged racist abuse towards Antoine Semenyo. A 47-year-old man was previously arrested and charged by Merseyside Police after Semenyo faced racist abuse while playing for former club Bournemouth earlier this season.
In February, four players were targeted during a single weekend. The UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) investigated abuse against Sunderland’s Lutsharel Geertruida, Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri, Chelsea’s Wesley Fofana, and Wolves’ Tolu Arokodare.
