{"id":700578,"date":"2026-01-16T20:04:21","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T20:04:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/700578\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T20:04:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T20:04:21","slug":"liverpool-star-given-six-game-ban-for-racist-remark-as-fa-serve-punishment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/700578\/","title":{"rendered":"Liverpool star given six-game ban for racist remark as FA serve punishment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Liverpool have been without one of their players since late November after the FA found them to have used racist language that involved reference to skin colour<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0_GettyImages-2244347327.jpg\" alt=\"LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Rafaela Borggrafe of Liverpool during a training session at AXA Melwood Training Centre on October 31, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Nick Taylor\/Liverpool FC\/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)\" loading=\"eager\"  \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Rafaela Borggrafe's ban was revealed on Friday\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Rafaela Borggrafe&#8217;s ban was revealed on Friday(Image: Nick Taylor\/Liverpool FC\/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Liverpool Women star Rafaela Borggrafe is serving a six-game ban after the <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/the-fa\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">Football Association<\/a> found her to have made a racist comment related to skin colour. Borggrafe, 25, has already served five of those matches, with the German goalkeeper last featuring in Liverpool&#8217;s squad in late November.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The alleged remark in question is said to have been heard while Liverpool&#8217;s players were preparing to take a team photo during pre-season. It was reportedly flagged by some of Borggrafe&#8217;s team-mates and their coaches.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/liverpool-fc\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">Liverpool<\/a> probed the incident before it was referred to the FA. Borggrafe, who&#8217;s made three first-team appearances since joining from Freiburg, has accepted the sanction, while she&#8217;s also been ordered to enrol on an education programme.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It&#8217;s been reported by <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football\/2026\/jan\/16\/liverpool-rafaela-borggrafe-given-six-game-ban-fa-finds-racist-remark\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"the GuardianLink opens in a new tab.\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">the Guardian<\/a> that more details surrounding the disciplinary case won&#8217;t be publicised on player-welfare grounds, and Liverpool won&#8217;t be commenting further. Reds manager <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/gareth-taylor\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">Gareth Taylor<\/a> confirmed at a press conference on Friday: &#8220;We have a slight update on the situation, in the sense that the FA has now completed its thorough investigation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;They sanctioned the player with a six-game ban. That ban has been ongoing whilst we&#8217;ve been playing, so effectively she will be out of the running to be included this weekend, but after that she is available for selection.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>READ MORE: <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/sport\/football\/transfer-news\/marc-guehi-fee-manchester-city-36564649\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36564649\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Marc Guehi fee revealed as Man City agree bargain January transfer deal<\/a>READ MORE: <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/sport\/football\/news\/andy-robertson-arne-slot-liverpool-36563548\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36563548\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Arne Slot responds to contract update from Liverpool star with clear message<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">When pressed on how difficult it was during the investigation, Taylor replied: &#8220;The situation is the situation. The team and the club have acted in the appropriate way.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;We&#8217;ve supported the FA in this investigation. I will say, it\u2019s been dragged on a little bit. I think that&#8217;s been frustrating for everyone involved, particularly Rafa.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;But we&#8217;re happy now that it&#8217;s completed, we&#8217;re happy now that we have some actual detail on what it looks like, and all of us can now move on.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The final game of Borggrafe&#8217;s ban will be served on Sunday. Liverpool travel to face fourth-tier side London Bees in the Women&#8217;s <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/fa-cup\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">FA Cup<\/a> fourth round.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0_GettyImages-2240622980.jpg\" alt=\"LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 12: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Rafaela Borggrafe of Liverpool during the Barclays Women's Super League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield on October 12, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Nick Taylor\/Liverpool FC\/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)\" loading=\"lazy\"  \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Rafaela Borggrafe will be available next weekend\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Rafaela Borggrafe will be available next weekend(Image: Nick Taylor\/Liverpool FC\/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Liverpool are rock bottom of the <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/womens-super-league\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">Women&#8217;s Super League<\/a>, failing to win a single one of their opening 12 games. Taylor&#8217;s side have also only scored eight goals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The former <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/manchester-city-fc\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" rel=\"follow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">Manchester City<\/a> boss wants his players to avoid a &#8216;banana skin&#8217; in the cup. &#8220;We know we&#8217;re expected to win,&#8221; Taylor said. &#8220;Everybody sees an emphatic victory, but teams make it difficult. Nothing is a given. We have an opportunity to go and dominate a game in the way I see us doing and I am hoping that will be the outcome.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;With the way we play, we know we&#8217;ll get balls into our wide players, get it into the final third and progress up the pitch as a team. But it is about putting the ball in the back of the net &#8211; and that&#8217;s the hardest thing in football.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/chat.whatsapp.com\/Feq1SEG6mXDIZGTTnek7oz\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Join our new WhatsApp communityLink opens in a new tab.\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">Join our new WhatsApp community<\/a> and receive your daily dose of <strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">Mirror Football<\/strong> content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us &#8211; and our partners. If you don&#8217;t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you&#8217;re curious, you can read our <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reachplc.com\/site-services\/privacy-policy\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Privacy NoticeLink opens in a new tab.\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\">Privacy Notice<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package<\/p>\n<p>This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/affiliates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Learn more<\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745740390_979_0_Sky-Factbox.jpg\" alt=\"Content Image\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\u00a343<\/p>\n<p>\u00a335<\/p>\n<p>Sky<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"AffiliateContent_content-buy-btn__xWiVO buy-btn\" aria-label=\"Buy button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.awin1.com\/cread.php?awinmid=11005&amp;awinaffid=213635&amp;platform=dl&amp;ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sky.com%2Fdeals\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\">Get the deal here<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025\/26 season, saving members \u00a3192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Liverpool have been without one of their players since late November after the FA found them to have&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":700579,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8815],"tags":[748,393,4884,179,763,18996,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-700578","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-liverpool","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-liverpool","12":"tag-liverpool-fc","13":"tag-the-fa","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115906574114813691","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/700578","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=700578"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/700578\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/700579"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=700578"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=700578"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=700578"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}