Bradley Lowery's mother calls out cruel taunt during Coventry match

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 1 Nov, 11:01 · Archive

A photograph of Bradley Lowery, who died of cancer aged six in 2017, was allegedly used to taunt Sunderland supporters by a Coventry fan during a Premier League match on Saturday.

A Coventry fan allegedly used a photograph of Bradley Lowery to taunt Sunderland supporters during the clubs' Premier League match on Saturday, which Coventry won 3-1. The incident involved a five-second video clip appearing to show a young spectator in the home end at the Coventry Building Society Arena pointing to a photograph of Bradley on his mobile phone.

Bradley was a lifelong Sunderland supporter who battled neuroblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer, before his death at age six in July 2017. His story touched the hearts of supporters across the footballing world, and his legacy continues through the Bradley Lowery Foundation, established in August 2017.

In a statement shared through the foundation, Bradley's mother Gemma said her son 'deserves to be remembered with love, not hate'. She described the incident as heartbreaking, noting that the photograph used was one of her favourites showing Bradley happy and having fun. Gemma said that while she supports football banter, mocking a child who died from cancer is not acceptable. She called on Coventry to 'take appropriate action' and urged the young man's family to help him understand the hurt his actions caused.

This is not the first time Bradley's death has been used in such a manner. Sheffield Wednesday fan Dale Houghton was sacked from his job and handed a 12-month suspended prison sentence following a similar incident in 2023.

How it is being reported

• Bradley Lowery’s mother issues heartbreaking statement over Coventry fan’s ‘cruel’ actBradley Lowery’s story touched the hearts of football fans up and down the country (Credits: PA) Gemma Lowery has demanded her late son Bradley is ‘remembered with love, not hate’ after a video emerged allegedly showing a Coventry fan using a picture of her ‘beautiful boy’ to taunt Sunderland…Metro · 1 Nov, 10:42
• Bradley Lowery's mum issues heartbreaking statement after alleged vile taunt in Coventry gameBradley Lowery captured the hearts of football fans across the country and his mother, Gemma, has been left heartbroken following a taunt directed a Sunderland fansMirror Sport · 1 Nov, 09:22

In this story: Bradley Lowery · Gemma Lowery · Coventry · Sunderland · Bradley Lowery Foundation · Sheffield Wednesday

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