England Under 15s walk off pitch following racism allegation against Ireland

An Under-15 World Cup Group C match between England and the Republic of Ireland was abandoned in Azerbaijan on Monday after England players walked off the pitch following an allegation of racism. The Irish Examiner, BBC Sport, the Irish Times, and the Daily Mail all reported that the match was halted after an England player raised a complaint with his bench following a confrontation between opposing players. [1][2][3][4]

The Irish Times reported that Ireland was leading 4-1 when the incident occurred. Outlets differed on the exact timing of the walkout, with the Daily Mail stating that England coach Matt Thorpe withdrew his team in the 40th minute, while the Irish Times put the departure in the 41st minute. Video footage showed an England coach informing the referee that they were reporting racism and did not wish to continue playing. [1][3][4]

The specific allegation involved an England player claiming he had been called a monkey following an altercation, according to the Daily Mail. The Irish Times reported that the Irish player denied the accusation. The Daily Mail also reported that a member of the Irish backroom staff shouted that the slur had not been said, while words were exchanged between the two coaching benches. [1][3][4]

Governing body FIFA has launched an investigation into the abandoned match, according to the Irish Times and the Mirror. [4][8]