Emmanuel Adebayor has revealed that racist abuse from Arsenal fans sparked his infamous celebration for Manchester City .
The striker became a fans’ favourite during three seasons with the Gunners before causing controversy by joining their big-spending rivals in 2009.
Adebayor caused further uproar when he scored against his former club before sprinting the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of their fans.
The travelling Gunners support were fuming with their former hero, but Adebayor has now opened up on what led him to celebrating in such a way.
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Speaking to The Daily Mail , he said: “This is the thing. And it is why I have not said anything about racism the past few weeks.
“When I celebrated, the FA fined me, they punished me. Nothing happened to the Arsenal fans. So it [racism] started with me and long before me.
"I remember getting to the stadium and Arsenal fans were there. All I heard was the the chant ‘Your mother is a whore and your father washes elephants.
“My father worked in currency exchange and my mother is a businesswoman. But this went on and on. So how can I reply? I didn’t have a voice to go against thousands of supporters."
Raheem Sterling has been a prominent figure in the fight against abuse and discrimination from the stands, with his treatment at Stamford Bridge earlier this season thrusting the issue into the headlines.
Since then there have been numerous other incidents including during England’s Euro 2020 qualifier with Montenegro.
But Adebayor doubts that the Football Association are doing enough, and suggested players should leave the pitch.
He added: “And now the same FA are trying to stop racism? I’m sorry. It does not work that way. Today is too late. We are tired. Enough is enough.
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“I see Mario Balotelli and Didier Drogba on Instagram . How many times do we have to post something? We have to react. We have to leave the pitch.”
The 35-year-old, who also played for Tottenham and Crystal Palace in the Premier League, also revealed that he was forced out of Arsenal by then manager Arsene Wenger.
He added: “Wenger had nothing to tell me anyway. People think football is family. It is business.
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“I did not just wake up one morning at Manchester City. I had signed a five-year contract at Arsenal.
“I came back for pre-season and Wenger said ‘You have to leave’. I said 'Why should I leave?’ I asked for one more year and if it does not work, I will walk off.
“He’s like ‘No.’ He said if I stayed he would not put me in the squad. When you hear that, you have to go.”
