The Dutch Football Association has condemned the racist abuse directed at three Netherlands players following their penalty shootout defeat to Morocco at the FIFA World Cup.
Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber and Crysencio Summerville were targeted with discriminatory messages on social media after missing their spot-kicks in Monday’s last-32 clash.
Morocco secured a 3-2 shootout victory after the match ended 1-1 following extra time in Monterrey.
Reacting to the online attacks, the KNVB said the players had been subjected to discriminatory, racist and hateful comments and vowed to pursue the matter through the appropriate channels.
“We find this appalling, and we will file a case with ‘Meld Online Discriminatie’ (Report Online Discrimination).
“Once a report is filed, their legal staff assess whether the statement constitutes a punishable offence. This can lead to a formal complaint being lodged with the Public Prosecution Service, which may then initiate a criminal investigation,” the FA added.
The incident is the latest example of footballers facing racial abuse after missing penalties in major international tournaments.
England internationals Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho were subjected to similar attacks after their missed penalties in the Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy in 2021.
The backlash resulted in criminal proceedings, with two individuals jailed and another handed a suspended sentence.
British authorities also arrested several suspects in the weeks after the tournament as part of a broader effort to tackle online hate speech directed at the players.
Emphasising football’s role in promoting unity, the KNVB reiterated its opposition to all forms of discrimination.
“Football brings together millions of different people, whereas discrimination does the exact opposite. It therefore runs counter to everything football stands for,” added the KNVB.
