In a recent Challenger Pro League match between Lierse SK and Deinze, former Barnsley FC and Watford striker, Obbi Oulare, encountered racist abuse from his own fans.
According to Flemish newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, the club is now using images from the game to identify the individuals responsible for the abuse and plans to administer appropriate punishments.
In an official statement issued by Lierse on Monday, the club expressed their strong condemnation of the incident, acknowledging the significant distress experienced by Oulare and his fellow players. The club has affirmed its commitment to taking action against those found responsible for this racist behavior, emphasizing that racism has no place at their club. They underscored their stadium, The Lisp (Herman Vanderpoortenstadion), as a space where everyone should feel welcome and reiterated that a disappointing match result should never serve as an excuse for racist chants.
It’s worth noting that Obbi Oulare made a permanent move to Lierse in June, signing a two-year deal. He had previously joined the club from Standard Liege on a three-year deal in the summer of 2021.
During the 2021-22 season, Oulare made only two brief substitute appearances for the club. Subsequently, he returned to his home country to play for Belgian second-tier team Molenbeek on loan in January 2022 and continued with them during the 2022-23 season.
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