Sport

QPR 'condemns abuse towards' Ireland star James McClean

QPR 'condemns abuse towards' Ireland star James McClean

Queens Park Rangers has said an internal investigation is underway into alleged abuse toward Ireland and Stoke winger James McClean.

QPR and Stoke played out a 0-0 draw at the weekend where it was alleged McClean was abused.

A video posted on Twitter appeared to show a section of the crowd shouting at McClean with one fan shouting 'where's your ****ing poppy' at the Derry native.

McClean does not wear a Remembrance Poppy on his shirt due to events in Derry during the Troubles.

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QPR said in a statement that the club "is aware of a video circulating on social media showing a section of individuals abusing James McClean during our Championship fixture with Stoke City on Saturday 9 March.

"The club wholly condemns such abuse and an internal investigation is now underway as we seek to identify those involved.

"The club will be making no further comment at this time."

Last November, McClean hit out at a section of the Stoke fanbase, labelling them as "uneducated cavemen" in an Instagram post, for abusing him over his poppy stance.

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He later apologised to the broader Stoke supporter base for the comments but hit out at the Football Association after they began an investigation into his post which contained a starred-out expletive.

"The FA are investigating me after Saturday’s event — for what, exactly?" he wrote on social media in last November.

"Yet week in, week out for the past seven years, I get constant sectarian abuse, death threats, objects being thrown, chanting which is heard loud and clear every week which my family, wife and kids have to listen to. They turn a blind eye and not a single word or condemnation of any sort."

McClean was later warned by the Football Association for use of an offensive word but there was no further punishment.

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