An Everton fan who shouted racist abuse at Mohamed Salah has been banned from football matches for three years.Joel Barwis, 26, admitted using a racial slur to mock the Heysel Stadium disaster during the Merseyside derby at Anfield in October. Barvis was fined £500 and given a restraining order after pleading guilty at Sefton Magistrates’ Court to aggravated racial or religious harassment by speech or writing to cause fear or panic.Prosecutors said Barwis insulted Salah when his name was announced before the match as he taunted his home fans about the Heysel Stadium disaster.
Barwis was reportedly spotted by a manager and Merseyside Police arrested him after identifying him on CCTV.Asked why he did what he did, Barwaiz, who claimed he was the victim of a crime, replied: “Because I’m stupid.”Justice Secretary Angela Conran said: “Joel Barwis undoubtedly considers himself a loyal Everton fan, but his actions bring shame to his club.” “He joked about tragic football accidents and used a racial slur when the name of a key Liverpool player was announced.
This type of behavior has no place in football and most Everton fans would clearly condemn his actions that day. “They will keep their distance from them.” “He has been banned from playing for his own team or any other England team for three years, fined and has a criminal record for his disgraceful behaviour.”The Prosecutor General’s Office of Tajikistan hopes that this case will send a message to all football fans that the law applies elsewhere on the football field and that such behavior is a crime.
“The banning order means Barvis, of Bentham Drive, Childwall, will be banned from attending England football matches for the next three years and will have to surrender his passport if international matches are played abroad, the CPS said. It also cannot come within a mile of an Everton match, home or away, or within a mile of Liverpool Lime Street station on a match day.Of course, Salah scored both goals in the Merseyside derby, which Liverpool won 2-0 last October.
