Hull City Condemns Racist Abuse of Robinio Vaz

Hull City have condemned what they describe as “abhorrent racist abuse” aimed at new signing Robinio Vaz after announcing his arrival on social media.

The Championship club unveiled the 19-year-old French striker’s season-long loan move from Roma in a post on Tuesday. The announcement was quickly overshadowed by a stream of racist messages, and the club has since removed the post.

In a strongly worded statement, Hull confirmed they are working with Humberside Police and other authorities to track down those responsible for the online attacks.

“Hull City has a zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of discrimination, and in the last 24 hours we have been in communication with the Premier League, anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out and the relevant social media companies,” the club said.

They stressed that Vaz, who scored once in Serie A last season, will not face this alone.

“No individual should ever experience discriminatory abuse, and the club will provide Robinio with our full support,” the statement continued. “We stand with Robinio and encourage all supporters to continue to report any form of discrimination.”

Vaz joins Hull with an option to buy included in the deal, a sign of the club’s belief in his long-term potential. His first challenge in English football, though, has arrived before he has even kicked a ball.