Belgian club Genk have reported an incident of racial abuse directed towards Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare by some of their fans.
This occurred after Arokodare missed a penalty during Genk's 3-0 home loss to Club Brugge over the weekend.
The fans expressed their frustration following Tolu Arokodare's missed opportunity to give the home team an early lead, prompting Genk to involve the police in tracking down those responsible for the abusive behaviour.
The Smurfs had an opportunity to climb to fifth place in the league standings as they hosted third-placed Club Brugge at home on Sunday, March 3.
Genk got off to a perfect start in the match and earned a penalty in the 18th minute. However, Arokodare was unable to capitalise from the penalty spot.
Subsequently, Club Brugge took control of the game, securing a commanding 3-0 victory with goals from Hugo Vetlessen, Denis Odoi, and Andreas Olsen.
Following the match, Arokodare posted screenshots of racially offensive messages he received on his Instagram stories.
Genk condemn racist reactions towards Tolu Arokodare
KRC Genk, along with all those associated with the club, unequivocally condemn these reactions.
“Racism has no place in football stadiums, not on social media, anywhere. Unfortunately, it is still deeply rooted in football and by extension in society as a whole,” the club stated.
They further declared that a complaint is being filed with the authorities.
“It is a shared responsibility to put a stop to this. As a club, we are doing everything we can to track down those responsible and report them to the police,” the statement issued by the club affirmed.
The 23-year-old Nigerian has played a direct role in 11 goals for his club, scoring eight himself and providing three assists to his teammates.
Tolu Arokodare's professional journey as a footballer
Born in Festac Town, Lagos, Nigeria, Tolu Arokodare began his football journey with stints at Kash Academy, Flying Sports Academy, and the Segun Odegbami International College and Sports Academy during his youth.
He later joined Box2Box FC academy in Surulere, Lagos, before undergoing trials with European clubs SC Freiburg and Toulouse. In June 2019, he made the move to Latvian club Valmiera.
Arokodare's career took another turn when he was loaned to German club 1. FC Köln for the 2020–21 season in September 2020.
He made his professional debut for Köln in the Bundesliga on 26 September 2020. After his loan spell, Arokodare joined Ligue 2 club Amiens on a two-year loan deal in June 2021.
On 31 January 2023, he secured a permanent move to Belgian Pro League side Genk, signing a four-and-a-half-year deal.
Arokodare made an impactful debut for Genk, scoring as a substitute against Gent in a 3-2 away win. Despite his successes, he has yet to represent Nigeria at any level internationally.
