Milutin Osmajic Faces Nine-Game Ban for Racial Abuse Incident

Milutin Osmajic, a forward for Preston North End, has been handed a nine-game suspension after being charged with racially abusing Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri. The incident occurred during a goalless draw between the two teams in February, resulting in Osmajic missing matches up to and including the game against Stoke City on December 26.

The 26-year-old Montenegrin has also been fined £21,000 for his actions. Osmajic has strongly refuted the allegations and denied any wrongdoing. He was charged by the Football Association (FA) in March, with a hearing taking place in September. Following the hearing, the FA determined that Osmajic had committed an “aggravated breach” by using abusive or insulting language, referencing both color and race.

In a statement, Preston North End expressed their strong disappointment with the FA’s ruling, reiterating their opposition to all forms of discrimination. The club remarked, “We note that the outcome was determined on the ‘Balance of Probabilities’ rather than one that is ‘Beyond Reasonable Doubt.'” They further highlighted that the FA’s decision does not reflect a moral judgment about Osmajic’s character. “Milutin has always maintained his innocence and continues to do so. We remain fully supportive of our player.”

Burnley has not yet issued a comment regarding the situation. The incident was flagged to match referee Andrew Kitchen by Mejbri during the tense match, which was delayed for several minutes as Mejbri reacted to what he perceived as an insult from Osmajic.

In a subsequent FA Cup fifth-round match two weeks later, Osmajic scored Preston’s second goal against Burnley and gestured towards the Burnley fans during his celebration. Mejbri was notably left out of the lineup by Burnley manager Scott Parker, while the Clarets’ players did not shake hands with Osmajic during pre-match preparations.

This suspension marks the second significant ban Osmajic has faced in consecutive seasons; he received an eight-game ban in the 2024-25 season for a biting incident involving Blackburn Rovers’ Owen Beck, for which he admitted guilt and was fined £15,000.