Hull City condemn racist abuse directed at new signing Robinio Vaz

Hull City have condemned racist abuse directed at their new signing Robinio Vaz, describing it as "abhorrent" and confirming they are working with police to identify those responsible.

Vaz, a 19-year-old French striker, joined Hull on loan from Roma on transfer deadline day — the final day of the summer window for signing players. When the club announced his arrival in a social media post, it attracted a high volume of derogatory comments aimed at the teenager (The Guardian).

Hull said the club would provide Vaz with its full support and was working with Humberside Police and other relevant authorities to identify the accounts responsible for the abuse (The Guardian). In its official statement, the club called the racist abuse "abhorrent" (BBC Sport).

The Premier League also weighed in, saying it strongly condemned the abuse and had offered its support to both Vaz and Hull City (The Guardian).

The timing is as sharp as it gets. Hull, promoted to the Premier League this season, have won their opening two matches of the 2026-27 campaign — a dream start for a club back in the top flight after years away. They are due to host Aston Villa on Saturday, September 5 (The Guardian).

A teenager arriving on loan from one of Italy's biggest clubs should be a story about promise and opportunity. Instead, Vaz's welcome to English football has been poisoned by the worst of what social media makes possible. That Hull acted quickly, with both a public statement and a police referral, sends the only message a club can send: this is not something to be tolerated or quietly managed.

For fans, the hope will be that the focus shifts back to what Vaz can do on the pitch. He has barely had time to settle in East Yorkshire, and a home fixture against Aston Villa on Saturday gives him the chance to make his first impression the one that actually matters.