WANDERERS have confirmed that striker Elias Kachunga was subjected to racial abuse on social media earlier this week.

Former Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield Town front man Kachunga recently signed for Wanderers on a free transfer and has proved a popular figure with the Bolton fans.

Comments made on Instagram were reported to the club and have since been passed on to police

Ian Evatt has vowed to stand by the 29-year-old and offer him any necessary support as the team prepares for a game at Ipswich on Saturday.

“Following Tuesday night, Elias Kachunga was racially abused on social media,” Evatt said at his pre-match press conference this afternoon.

“I have seen the comments that were made to him myself. He has got our full support and backing and we have reported the issue to the police.

“It is a really serious issue and no player should have to undergo that kind of treatment.

“As a football club I am guessing we will make some sort of statement in the coming days but for now I think you guys should be made aware.

“We will give him our full support because it was vile what he received.”

The incident comes as the Football Association urged social media companies to “step up and take accountability” including taking action to “ban abusers from their platforms”.

That followed the high-profile abuse of three England players – Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho - after the Euros.

Evatt believed the source of the comment from an anonymous account – which has since been deleted – will be tracked down in time.

“We don’t (know who it is) because they hide behind different names and until there is accountability we don’t know any more,” he said.

“All we will say is that it has been reported to the police and they have the function to trace where it has come from, who has done it, names, IP addresses, addresses etc.

“They will catch the culprit and as a group we all stand with Elias.”

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has also said today that football is "sliding backwards" and that racism is being normalised because of the prevalence of racist abuse online.

Speaking to a joint parliamentary committee seeking possible improvements to the government's draft Online Safety Bill, the former England captain said he had seen family members "disintegrate" after he was abused on social media.

"Self-esteem, your mental health is at risk," Ferdinand added.