Milutin Osmajic Receives Nine-Game Ban for Racial Abuse Incident

Milutin Osmajic, a forward for Preston North End, joined the club in 2023 from the Spanish team Cadiz. He has recently been suspended for nine matches after being charged with racially abusing Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri.

The incident occurred during a goalless draw between Preston and Burnley in February. Following the ban, which extends to and includes their match against Stoke City on Boxing Day, the 26-year-old player has also been fined £21,000.

Osmajic has strongly refuted and denied any allegations against him. The Football Association (FA) charged him in March, with a hearing taking place in September. Following the hearing, the FA determined that an “aggravated breach” was proven, indicating that abusive and/or insulting language referring to color and/or race was used.

In response to the FA’s decision, Preston North End expressed their disappointment and reiterated their stance against all forms of discrimination. The club emphasized that the ruling was based on the “Balance of Probabilities” standard rather than the more stringent “Beyond Reasonable Doubt” standard typically used in criminal cases. They also noted that the FA’s ruling contained no moral judgment or implication of premeditation or character assessment regarding Osmajic.

Osmajic has consistently maintained his innocence. Preston North End continues to support their player amidst these developments.

Burnley Football Club has not yet issued a statement regarding the incident.

During the February match, the encounter was momentarily halted as Mejbri reacted strongly to comments made by Osmajic, which he subsequently reported to referee Andrew Kitchen. Two weeks later, in an FA Cup fifth-round match, Osmajic scored and celebrated in front of Burnley fans, which led to additional tensions, as Burnley’s manager Scott Parker chose to exclude Mejbri from that game.

This suspension marks the second significant ban for Osmajic in consecutive seasons, having previously received an eight-game suspension for biting Blackburn Rovers’ Owen Beck in September 2024. He admitted to that charge of violent conduct and was fined £15,000.