Ex-EFL player handed 11-game ban for racial abuse of teammate

Ex-Watford midfielder Pierre Dwomoh has been banned for 11 games by the FA for racially abusing a teammate.

Dwomoh announced that he had left the Championship club in April – his ban is backdated to then.

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FA finds Dwomoh guilty

The 22-year-old Belgian was ruled by an independent disciplinary commission to have committed a ‘very serious’ and ‘completely unacceptable’ offence when he targeted an under-21 player of Indian heritage (referred to as Player A).

Dwomoh said the abuse had ‘started just as a joke’ when he was interviewed by the FA.

The offences in question are said to have taken place during the pre-match warm-ups before two U21 games last autumn.

One of the comments is understood to have been overheard by Watford’s leads sports scientist, Alisdair Walker.

Walker noted that Player A appeared ‘bewildered’ and ‘did not seem himself’ following the incident.

Watford subsequently contacted the FA alleging that a discriminatory comment had been made.

Watford back verdict

Dwomoh had previously been unhappy with Player A for not passing the ball to him, with it being acknowledged that Dwomoh ‘may have been upset about this’.

In addition to the ban, Dwomoh has also been fined £2,500 and ordered to attend a mandatory training programme.

Confirming Dwomoh had been released, Watford told the Watford Observer they supported the FA’s decision to punish the player.

Watford signed Dwomoh from Belgian club Royal Antwerp in the summer of 2024.

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He want on to make 12 appearances for the Hornets, who finished 16th in the Championship last season.

The Vicarage Road club recently announced the appointment of their 24th permanent manager in just 14 years, naming Italian Alessio Donisi as the successor to Edward Still.