Hull City Work with Police After Racist Abuse Targets Robinio Vaz

Hull City have condemned racist abuse directed at new signing Robinio Vaz on social media and are working with Humberside Police and other authorities to identify those responsible. The Guardian reported that the abuse appeared beneath the club's online announcement of the teenage striker's arrival from Roma.

Vaz, a 19-year-old French forward, joined Hull on loan from the Italian club on transfer deadline day. His move brought him to a side newly promoted to the Premier League, but the announcement was followed by a large number of derogatory comments aimed at the player, according to the Guardian's report.

Hull said the club would provide Vaz with its full support and stressed that nobody should be subjected to discriminatory abuse. The club also confirmed that it was cooperating with Humberside Police and other relevant bodies in an effort to trace the accounts behind the posts and enable appropriate action against the people responsible.

The Premier League issued its own condemnation and said it had offered support to both Vaz and Hull. The competition said it remained committed to working with clubs, law enforcement, authorities and social media companies to confront the continuing discrimination faced by players online.

No individuals had been publicly identified in the reporting available Thursday, and neither Hull nor the Premier League announced that charges or sanctions had been imposed. The clubs' statement therefore represents the start of an effort to establish responsibility, with the identification of the relevant accounts left to police and the other authorities involved.

The episode came as Vaz was beginning his spell with Hull following the deadline-day loan. The club's response placed its immediate focus on supporting the player and preserving evidence that could assist the investigation. Further action will depend on what the authorities establish about the accounts and the people operating them.