Malut United Player Faces Racist Abuse After Defeating Persib Bandung

Malut United secured a 1-0 victory over Persib Bandung in the 2024-25 Liga 1 season on May 2, 2025, with Wahyu Prasetyo scoring the match-winning goal in the 65th minute at Stadion Kie Raha, Maluku. However, the post-match celebrations were overshadowed by a troubling incident of racist abuse directed at one of their players. The abuse came from a netizen who criticized the player's physical appearance, including making derogatory remarks about their skin color.

The racist comments quickly gained attention online, with an Instagram account focused on Indonesian football, @lambeturah\_bola02, highlighting the offensive remarks. In response to the incident, Malut United players Yance Sayuri and Yakob Sayuri took to social media to express their pride in their heritage and denounce racism in football. Both players emphasized their pride in being from Papua and rejected the discrimination they faced.

The actions of the racist individual were widely condemned by netizens and fans of Indonesian football. However, neither Malut United nor Persib Bandung has publicly commented on the incident yet, leaving fans and the broader football community waiting for an official response from the clubs involved. The incident has sparked a broader conversation about the persistence of racism in Indonesian football.