Monzer El-Sharnouby posted a tweet containing a racial slur directed at Bukayo Saka following England’s loss to France in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final. Upon being arrested and questioned, the 29-year-old claimed ignorance about the racist connotation of the term he used. Previously convicted of sending an offensive message, he was issued a football banning order, but this conviction was overturned on the grounds that the tweet did not mention Saka’s Twitter handle or was sent as a direct message. El-Sharnouby’s defense argued that a tweet on one’s own platform does not equate to communicating directly with another individual, likening it to posting on a website. The court ruling stated that for the conviction to stand, it would need to be proven that El-Sharnouby specifically targeted Saka with the message. Ultimately, the conviction was overturned as the necessary intent was not established. It was noted that under a different communication act, the outcome might have been different without the need to prove direct targeting of Saka.