Chinonso Jeremiah Obi, a Nigerian player with FK Dainava in
Lithuania, has been hospitalised following a knife attack on Tuesday.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Lithuanian football
federation (LFF) said the attack was a “manifestation of racism”, adding that
the suspect is in police custody.
The federation stated that the incident occurred as his club
was preparing to travel from its base in Alytus to Taurage to honour a match
against Tauras in the second tier of the Lithuanian football league. The match
has, however, been postponed to a later date.
The LFF condemned the act, adding that it puts the European
nation in a bad light.
“What happened in Alytus goes beyond any limits of humanity.
The person attacked is not only a player, but also a young person who has come
to Lithuania, striving for a career, fighting for the honour of his team and
contributing to its victories,” the statement reads.
“Such attacks undoubtedly send a dangerous signal to the
entire international football community, and it is incredibly unfortunate that
there are still people in our country who behave so unpredictably in broad
daylight.”
Edgaras Stankevičius, president of the federation, further
denounced the act of racism, stating that players should feel safe in their
line of duty.
“Racism has no place in football or society,” he started.
“Every player, regardless of nationality, skin colour, or origin, must feel
safe and do what they do best – delight fans in stadiums.
“Football around the world must be a unifying force, not a
divisive one.”
Obi, a 20-year-old attacker who joined FK Dainava in
February 2025, featured in his first match of the season on Saturday in the
club’s 3-3 draw at TransINVEST.
The youngster is the latest Nigerian player who has suffered
racist attacks in Europe in recent months. In February, Tolu Arokodare was
subjected to racial abuse on social media following his penalty loss in
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ defeat to Crystal Palace in the English Premier League
(EPL).
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