Pierre Dwomoh banned 11 matches for racist abuse at Watford

Former Watford midfielder Pierre Dwomoh has been handed an 11-match ban by the FA for racially abusing a teammate. The 22-year-old Belgian was found guilty of "very serious" and "completely unacceptable" offences during two incidents in Watford under-21 matches last October and November.

The independent disciplinary commission ruled Dwomoh targeted a player of Indian heritage, referred to as Player A in the FA's written reasons. Dwomoh initially denied responsibility, attempting to pressure Player A to retract his statement before later admitting to two charges.

During the hearing, Dwomoh claimed remarks began as "inside jokes," stating to Player A: "brown is not a colour" when asked whether he was black or light-skinned. He went on to assert that "brown people don’t exist... It’s light-skinned or black." In a separate match, he asked Player 2 about his "corner shop," a comment overheard by Watford's lead sports scientist Alasdair Walker, who provided a statement to the FA.

Watford self-reported the incident after safeguarding staff became aware of the comments. Player A was visibly distressed upon learning staff were informed, while Dwomoh later approached him on the training ground to dismiss the remarks as "just banter."

Dwomoh, who insisted he "did not intend to be racist," also accused Player A of "profiting off the situation at his expense." He left Watford in April, and his ban has been backdated to that point. The FA sought a 16-match suspension, but this appeal was dismissed.

Watford confirmed their support for the sanction, with The Independent reporting the club made him unavailable for selection immediately after self-reporting. Dwomoh made one senior appearance for Watford last season before his departure. He has also been fined £2,500 and ordered to complete a face-to-face education programme by 9 August.