Sittingbourne Football Club in Kent has issued an official statement following reports of racial abuse directed at one of its players. The incident took place during an away match against Erith Town on 17 March 2026.
Defender Gavin Hoyte was the target of the abuse late in the game, which Sittingbourne won with a 3-0 scoreline. The club has confirmed it is offering full support to the defender and is now working with the relevant football authorities to investigate the matter.
In a formal statement released on 18 March 2026, the club confirmed it is cooperating with both Erith Town and the Football Association. As part of the investigation, the club has handed over all available video footage of the match to help officials understand what happened during the game.
Erith Town also responded to the reports by confirming that the incident involved a spectator and offered an apology to the player. The home club stated that match officials were made aware of the situation at the time and reiterated that they have a zero-tolerance policy for this type of conduct.
Sittingbourne and other clubs in the league follow specific protocols for reporting discriminatory behaviour to ensure matches remain safe for everyone involved. The Football Association will now review the evidence provided by both teams to decide what further action is needed regarding the report.
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