Arsenal fans call for the removal of Esha Gupta as Arsenal’s club ambassador Esha Gupta after she racially abuses Alex Iwobi.
Arsenal lost in the fourth round of the FA Cup to Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium last week.
Alexis Sanchez, Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial were among the goalscorers for the visiting side as Arsenal’s FA Cup campaign ended in a 3-1 loss.
Esha Gupta, a Bollywood actress/model who’s also the club ambassador for Arsenal, posted a WhatsApp conversation following the loss in which she shared a racially abusive message for one of the club’s player, Alex Iwobi.
Gupta, in the conversation, received messages which compared Iwobi’s face to a ‘gorilla’, further calling him a ‘neanderthal.’
“Solves our winger issues. I can’t see that gorilla faced Iwobi running down the flank again,” the message read.
“It’s like evolution stopped for him. Didn’t change from neanderthal to man,” her friend added.
Dear @Arsenal I as an Indian am ashamed with Esha Gupta’s sick mindset and would like to apologize. I am a @ManUtd supporter and always engage in friendly banter with my Gooner mates. But this is unacceptable in football. Hope you ban her for life! https://t.co/Hz6iSDqXjG
— Kunal 🇮🇳 (@RunMUFC) January 27, 2019
The actress reacted funnily to the racially abusive messages in the conversation. However, she further posted the screenshot of the chat on her Instagram story which sparked controversy on social media.
After fans began to call her out for blatant racism, Esha Gupta posted an apology on Twitter.
“Guys m sorry you thought it was racist,” Gupta wrote.
“Was bad on my part, being a sports lover. Wallah never meant it. Sorry guys forgive the stupidity.
Guys m sorry you thought it was racist. Was bad on my part, being a sports lover. Wallah never meant it. Sorry guys forgive the stupidity 🙏🏽 #gooner4life
— Esha Gupta (@eshagupta2811) January 27, 2019
It was us discussing our frustration during the game.sorry as I din realise it directed towards racism.laughed over the spur of the moment, which was the games result guys.been victim of racism myself before. But this is not something m proud of. It was a fault,sorry guys
— Esha Gupta (@eshagupta2811) January 27, 2019
“It was us discussing our frustration during the game. Sorry as I din [didn’t] realise it directed towards racism.
“Laughed over the spur of the moment, which was the games result guys. Been victim of racism myself before. But this is not something m proud of. It was a fault, sorry guys.”
However, Gupta didn’t seem to be welcoming to people calling her out for racism, as she blocked various accounts who accused her.
Just been blocked. To recap:
1. Esha Gupta posts racist comments about Iwobi.
2. Gupta apologises for anyone who thinks she’s being racist, but doesn’t apologise for the racism.
3. Gupta blocks anyone who calls her out.
Is this acceptable, @Arsenal? pic.twitter.com/EaQshyozu8
— Dan Critchlow (@afcDW) January 27, 2019
The fans have now begun to urge the club to remove her from the position of an ambassador for Arsenal.
