Detestable Racial Insults Targeted at Jess Carter Expose a Concerning Pattern in Female Athletics, Revealing a Persistent Issue
In the world of women's football, a sport often celebrated for its camaraderie and positive energy, the issue of racism continues to loom large. Sky News recently praised the "tribalism without toxicity" of female football fans, but the reality is far from idyllic for Black and Brown players and supporters.
The anti-discrimination organization, Kick it Out, received a record number of reports of racism in the 2023-2024 season, totaling 1332. This alarming figure underscores the urgent need for action. Statements of solidarity without meaningful guardrails and a lack of consequence for trolls will not resolve the ongoing issues in women's football.
The England Lionesses, along with other female players and teams, have expressed strong condemnation of racist abuse. Players publicly support each other against abuse, as seen with England’s Lucy Bronze backing Black teammates who faced racist abuse during Euro 2025.
National football federations, like the French Football Federation (FFF), are also taking a stand against hateful and racist comments. The FFF contacted the National Center Against Online Hatred to pursue sanctions and criminal investigation of offenders.
UEFA has implemented a dedicated monitoring and reporting platform for online abuse during major tournaments, including Women’s EURO 2025. This system works closely with social media platforms and law enforcement to identify and remove abusive content promptly. UEFA also deploys safety professionals to prepare, respond, and mitigate abusive incidents online.
Social media platforms, such as Meta, TikTok, and X, are working in cooperation with UEFA and football authorities to monitor and remove racist and sexist abuse. During Women's EURO 2025, 100% of abusive content identified on TikTok was removed.
Public awareness and evolving gestures are also playing a role in the fight against racism. While symbolic actions like taking the knee continue to have mixed support, some teams have paused such gestures to seek more effective methods of combating racism, indicating a shift towards stronger, more impactful measures beyond symbolism.
Advocacy organizations like Kick It Out continue to highlight and report discrimination issues, with over 1,398 reports of discrimination across football in the 2024/25 season, including 268 related to racism. They advocate for sustained attention and action against abuse.
However, the fight against racism extends beyond the pitch. Research by Women in Sport found that 48% of Black girls fall out of love with sport in their teens due to issues like racism, misogyny, and inflexible sporting structures. Women of color in the sport are often held responsible and seen as at fault.
Anita Asante, a former football player and coach to England's Under-23 squad, stated that Black and Brown people don't have the ability to dismantle the structures that uphold racism due to a lack of access to power. Asante also mentioned that racism existed before social media and will persist unless action is taken seriously.
The euphoria of football is ruined for Black, Brown, and White fans when they spend game days worrying about the players or their own safety. Jess Carter, a defender for the Lionesses, announced a withdrawal from social media due to an increase in racial abuse since the start of the UEFA Women's Euros this year.
In summary, combating racial abuse in women’s football involves coordinated efforts from players, national federations, UEFA, social media platforms, and advocacy groups focusing on monitoring, supporting victims, enforcing sanctions, and raising public awareness. The fight against racism is an ongoing battle, but with concerted effort and commitment, it is one that can be won.
- Despite Sky News praising the positive energy of female football fans, the reality for Black and Brown players and supporters remains far from idyllic, as the anti-discrimination organization Kick it Out received a record number of reports of racism in the 2023-2024 season.
- The England Lionesses, along with other female players and teams, have strongly condemned racist abuse and publicly support each other against it, such as when Lucy Bronze backed Black teammates who faced racist abuse during Euro 2025.
- National football federations, like the French Football Federation (FFF), are taking a stand against hateful and racist comments, contacting the National Center Against Online Hatred to pursue sanctions and criminal investigations of offenders.
- Social media platforms, such as Meta, TikTok, and X, are working with UEFA and football authorities to monitor and remove racist and sexist abuse, with TikTok removing 100% of abusive content identified during Women's EURO 2025.
