Former England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has called for tougher sanctions against football clubs as part of renewed efforts to stamp out racism in the game. Speaking on his new BBC podcast, The Wayne Rooney Show, the 38-year-old recalled a painful moment during his managerial spell at DC United, when a player broke down in tears after being subjected to racial abuse. “I was holding him as he cried on my chest,” Rooney revealed, underscoring the devastating emotional toll of racism on players.
His comments come in the wake of a fresh incident in the Premier League, where Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo reported racial abuse from a fan during his side’s 4-2 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Friday. The match was temporarily halted in the 29th minute, and Merseyside Police later arrested a 47-year-old man on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence. The suspect has since been banned from every football stadium in the UK and released on conditional bail.
Rooney stressed that education across generations is crucial but insisted that stronger deterrents are necessary to hold clubs accountable. According to him, points deductions and hefty fines are the only effective ways to drive meaningful change. “You have to hit the clubs because that’s the only way it will stop,” he argued. “Take points off them or hit them in the pocket. Otherwise, it will keep on going.” He urged football authorities and anti-discrimination organisations to introduce measures that combine strict punishments with sustained awareness campaigns.
The former Manchester United captain further highlighted how racist remarks, often dismissed as “throwaway lines,” cause lasting harm to victims. He maintained that many fans underestimate the impact of their words and behaviour, calling for broad-based education programmes for children, parents, and grandparents alike to foster lasting cultural change. “For people to see and understand, there has to be more done to stop it,” Rooney insisted.
Under Football Association rule E20.1, clubs can already face financial sanctions or stadium closures if they fail to act against racist abuse. In 2023, League Two side Gillingham was fined £12,500 after its fans were found guilty of racist and sexist misconduct. Rooney, however, believes that the current measures do not go far enough and urged football’s governing bodies to adopt stronger, more consistent punishments that would finally force clubs and fans to take the issue seriously.
