Wolves striker Hwang Hee-chan was the target of an alleged racist remark by a Como player during a pre-season friendly, according to manager Gary O’Neil.
The Midlands club reported that the incident occurred midway through the second half, leading to Wolves forward Daniel Podence being sent off for throwing a punch in response.
O’Neil said he asked South Korean forward Hwang if he wanted to abandon the game, but the 28-year-old declined. Wolves went on to secure a 1-0 win at their training camp in Spain.
“Channy heard a racist remark which is really disappointing,” said O’Neil.
“I spoke to Channy about it, checked whether he wanted to take the team off or come off himself, but he was keen the team carried on and got the work they needed.
“It’s really disappointing that it happened, that we have to talk about it and that it impacted the game – not ideal and things like that shouldn’t be around.”
Italian club Como – backed by former Arsenal players Cesc Fabregas and Thierry Henry – achieved promotion to Serie A last season.
“He [Hwang] is really disappointed, of course, and understandably. I’m proud of the fact that he wanted to carry on and put his team first in a difficult moment for him.
“Channy will be OK. He’ll get our full support and we’ll pick him up in the morning and make sure he’s OK.”
In 2022, Wolves expressed their disappointment when Hwang Hee-chan faced “discriminatory abuse” from SC Farense fans during a pre-season friendly.
Following the recent incident against Como, Wolves reiterated that “racism or discrimination in any form is completely unacceptable and should never be left unchallenged.” The club announced they will be “submitting a formal complaint to UEFA regarding the incident.”
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