A soccer enthusiast has received a three-year ban from attending any games after he racially abused Arsenal player Thomas Partey through a derogatory social media post.

Charles Ogunmilade, who identifies as Black, confessed to sharing a “grossly offensive” message on the platform X, which he justified as satire mimicking the style of a racist individual.

The abusive comment was made in April 2023, following an incident during a match where Partey, a Black Ghanaian international, failed to score during Arsenal’s 3-3 draw against Southampton.

During the court proceedings in London, it was revealed that the message had been flagged and reported to authorities, leading police to Ogunmilade’s residence. He claimed that the comment was merely meant to be a sarcastic remark exchanged within a circle of friends.

“I am not a racist person,” he asserted in court.

In her sentencing, Magistrate Shaoni Myer highlighted that Ogunmilade’s prompt guilty plea, along with his previously unblemished record and personal experiences with racism, were factored into the decision.

In addition to the soccer ban, Ogunmilade is required to surrender his passport to authorities during away matches of the England men’s national soccer team. He has also been fined and ordered to cover legal costs totaling £260 (approximately $325).