Mikel Arteta slams abuse in football . . . Arsenal win Lewis-Skelly appeal

Mikel Arteta has urged football to prioritise changing the culture that surrounds the game and eradicate “hatred”, saying: “We don’t want it, we don’t need it, it can only damage our sport, so let’s get it out.”

Arteta’s plea was made after police opened an investigation regarding the threats directed at the referee Michael Oliver, whose home was placed under police guard after he sent off Myles Lewis-Skelly for a tackle on Matt Doherty at Wolves on last weekend.

The decision was reviewed and upheld by the video assistant referee, Darren England, but —Arsenal appealed and the red card was overturned on Tuesday, within hours of the evidence being presented to the Football Association.

Confirmation came through as Lewis-Skelly travelled with the Arsenal squad for their final game of the Champions League first phase, against Girona, last night as an independent commission upheld the claim of wrongful dismissal.

Arteta, however, said it was time to act after Oliver and his family had received threats and abuse that the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) called “abhorrent”.

The Arsenal manager said: “Every time I talk about this topic (my view) is the same, regardless of whether it is a player or a coach or a referee.

“We have to really work harder to try to eradicate that part of the game that brings nothing but bad stuff, bad taste and it makes people’s lives more difficult,” he said.

Asked if that was his message for Arsenal fans, he said: “it is for everyone in football. It should not be permitted.

“We don’t want it, we don’t need it, it can only damage our sport, so let’s get it out.

“We are always putting a lot of emphasis on evolving, on where football is going in the next five, 10 years, on the rules, and all that sort of thing.

“But one of the most important things we can do to evolve is create an environment that’s much better at a social level, one that’s healthier, that’s nicer, in which we reward things that are not only winning, that when people make mistakes they have the chance to make amends.

“We should not be here with this hatred because they affect everyone and, in the end, they take away the joy of this sport.

“We have to spend more time making the right decisions with the right people to get it out.

If these have been difficult days for Lewis-Skelly, there was no sign of that on the flight to Spain.

“He was sleeping on the plane when I looked back and I got the news,” Arteta said.

“I haven’t spoken to him. I was working and he was at the back, so I didn’t wake him up.

“We are obviously very happy that the decision has been made and that Myles is going to be able to play for us again in the next few games.

“I am not an expert in the field.

“The club has put all the evidence and everything that they could put together to defend our position, and it was pretty fast. — Guardian.

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