Wilfried Zaha says racism in football is running wild as bigots cause ‘chain reaction’ of hate
WILFRIED ZAHA fears racism is out of control — with copycats sparking a “chain reaction” of sick abuse.
The Crystal Palace winger claims online bigots are on the increase as they crave viral fame.
Zaha, 26, told SunSport in April that he gets a “million” abusive online messages every week on Twitter and Instagram.
The Ivory Coast star has also had death threats aimed at his family after Premier League games.
Yet he worries there is little that can be done because the messages are from anonymous accounts.
Zaha said: “I don’t know what to say any more.
“It seems like the more we speak about it, the more it happens now.
“I don’t know if people do it to get spoken about. That’s what it seems like. It’s like a chain reaction all the time on social media now.
‘I DON’T HAVE AN ANSWER’
“Anyone can make a fake account, call you whatever on the fake account and then just delete it and make another one. So I don’t know how to handle it any more.
“If that’s all you can say to me then you aren’t really educated, especially if we are playing a game like football that everyone loves and that is what you are coming back to me with.
“Someone will do it this week. Then because it is mentioned it’s like other people see it and think, ‘I want my name out there as well’. And they are racist as well.
“I don’t have an answer for it. Me, I don’t pay any attention to it any more.”
Zaha also has to fight off claims he is a “diver” — though VAR is helping.
He was booked for simulation in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal last weekend but the video ref overturned it and awarded a spot-kick.
Zaha said: “I thought it was a stonewall penalty.
“I just thought to myself, ‘Thank God there is VAR’.
“Incidents like that, where I have been fouled and the ref hasn’t seen it, I’m branded a diver.
“If it gets rescinded then it helps me massively because everyone is able to see I didn’t just dive.”
In a wide-ranging BBC interview, Zaha also revealed he gives some of his wages to charity.
The Eagles star, one of nine siblings, added: “I know what it feels like to have nothing. I used to go to training and did not have boots.”