‘I don’t condone racism’ — Ighalo vows to walk off if abused again

Odion Ighalo, former Super Eagles, says he is ready to walk off the pitch if racially abused again in his career.

The 30-year-old Manchester United striker told Sky Sports that he was “called all sorts of names” by an opposition player while playing for Shanghai Shenhua, his parent club.

He said he reported the abuse to the Chinese Football Association but after no action was taken he decided to “let it go.”

Ighalo, however, vowed to walk off the field should it occur again, adding that racism should not be condone in whatever form because everyone is human.

The former Watford player also called for “justice to be done” over the death of George Floyd, a black American who died after an officer knelt on his neck.

Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25, after an arrest by a police officer, who pinned him to the ground for several minutes by kneeling on his neck.

“We should fight for humanity, not colours. Nobody should condone racism. We are all human. Despite the colour of our skin, we are all the same, we live in the same world, the same life. I don’t condone racism, but at the same time, I don’t condone riots,” Ighalo said.

“It didn’t start today, it’s not going to end today. It’s going to take time. We are hoping this situation can change the narrative and make it more limited. It’s going to reduce it to a minimum.

“We are fighting now so that for the next generation it will be cut off, finally. We have to start from the younger generation, educate them, let them see that all humans are the same.

“If it happens to me I would report it to the referee and see what they do, but if they don’t take action about it then I’m going to walk off because it should not be done to any player or anyone in the world.

“In one game in China I got called all sorts of names and after the game, I didn’t shake his hand. I walked straight into the dressing room, I was angry, I reported it to the FA.

“I didn’t press forward with it, I just let it go because I’m just this kind of guy. I don’t like to drag issues out. But I don’t think it should be condoned in any country.”

Ighalo recently extended his loan deal with Manchester United until January 2021, having joined the Red Devils six months ago from Shanghai Shenhua, initially until May 31.