Social media troll who sent Bukayo Saka racist abuse admits he should be banned ‘forever’

Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho all received racist abuse after they missed Euro 2020 final penalties

Bukayo Saka missed a penalty in the Euro 2020 final (PA Wire)

A social media troll, who sent England’s Bukayo Saka racist abuse following the Euro 2020 final, has admitted he should be banned from platforms for life.

The man, who sent the 20-year-old monkey emojis on Instagram, was suspended from the social media platform for 24 hours but believes his punishment wasn’t strong enough.

Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sanchoall received racist abuse after they missed penalties which saw Italy win the Euros.

The unnamed abuser of Saka told the BBC’s File on 4 that he should be banned “forever” and that what he did was “really racist”.

He added: “It was a big mistake. I was angry and I didn’t know when Saka saw the monkey what he would feel. I saw other people were typing the same emoji and I went with them.

“I really want to apologise to Saka, it was a mistake and I will not do it again to him or any black player.”

Gareth Southgate consoled Bukayo Saka after he missed his penalty (Pool via Reuters)

The troll may have said what he did was wrong but former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha doesn’t think his words are genuine.

Onuoha told File on 4: “Where he says, ‘I should be banned for life,’ it feels like he’s saying that because he thinks that’s the right thing to say.

“He went to Bukayo Saka’s Instagram account and put a monkey emoji in a comment for one of his posts when he didn’t have to, but did it because everyone else was doing it.

“He probably thought everyone else was as angry as he was. I understand disappointment but anger is where for me it crosses a line, because it makes people behave in ways like this, which I think is just wrong on every level.”

After the BBC presented Instagram with their findings of accounts still in operation after being reported, many were removed. The social media company also said they are committed to holding people to account.