Former Preston forward Milutin Osmajic making a name for himself. That’s why the FA has charged him for supposedly making racist comments about Hannibal Mejbri. The stingingly racist incident that was unveiled last week allegedly occurred during a Championship match between Preston and Burnley on Feb. 15. Mejbri alerted referees and match officials to the “disgusting abuse.” This prompted an investigation by the FA, bringing high-profile national media attention to the case.
Osmajic was originally ordered to respond to the charges by March 25. Preston boss Paul Heckinbottom has since announced that the deadline for Osmajic’s response has been extended. This extension permits Osmajic’s inclusion in West Ham’s FA Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa.
That match, one of the most eagerly awaited fixtures anywhere in world football, will take place at Deepdale on Sunday with a 1.30pm kick-off. Thanks to the deadline extension, Osmajic is still in a position to make his debut against Aston Villa, even with the investigation pending.
Osmajic has denied the allegations of making racist comments in the strongest terms. The FA has yet to reveal what punishment Osmajic would receive if he pleads guilty to the charges.
Hannibal Mejbri shared his commitment to combatting racism in the world of sports.
“I will not be silent about what happened today. I will always call out racism whenever I hear or see it. That is the only way we change as a sport and a society.” – Hannibal Mejbri
Scott Parker, manager at the time of the altercation, explained how he felt about Mejbri’s response.
“You could clearly see he was very distressed and in that moment we tried to get some context into what exactly had happened because he was very emotional.” – Scott Parker
“He explained to me what was said, and at that moment, we just wanted to work out how he was and where he was in his head space. It will go down to due process now.” – Scott Parker
While the investigation is ongoing, Osmajic and Mejbri will be the focus when the pair meet in Harku Stadium on Wednesday for the friendly match. The harmful situation highlights the legacy of racism and the continued fight against racism in athletics.
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