Hwang allegedly targeted with a racist remark by Como player
The Midlands club reported that the incident occurred midway through the second half, with Wolves forward Daniel Podence being sent off after throwing a punch in response.
Manager Gary O’Neil stated that he asked South Korean forward Hwang Hee-chan if he wanted to abandon the game, but the 28-year-old declined. Wolves went on to secure a 1-0 win at their training camp in Spain.
“Channy heard a racist remark, which is really disappointing,” said O’Neil. “I spoke to Channy about it, checked whether he wanted to take the team off or come off himself, but he was keen for the team to continue and get the work they needed.
“It’s really disappointing that it happened, that we have to talk about it, and that it impacted the game. It’s not ideal, and things like that shouldn’t happen.”
Como, the Italian club backed by former Arsenal players Cesc Fabregas and Thierry Henry, was promoted to Serie A last season.
“Hwang is really disappointed, of course, and understandably so,” O’Neil continued. “I’m proud of the fact that he wanted to carry on and put his team first in such a difficult moment for him.
“Channy will be OK. He’ll receive our full support, and we’ll make sure he’s fine in the morning.”
In 2022, Wolves expressed their disappointment when Hwang suffered “discriminatory abuse” from SC Farense fans during a pre-season friendly.
Following the incident against Como, Wolves stated that “racism or discrimination in any form is completely unacceptable and should never go unchallenged.” They also announced their intention to “submit a formal complaint to UEFA regarding the incident.”