Technology Giants Criticized over Rising Football Discrimination Reachings Peak Levels by Kick It Out
In the realm of English and Welsh football, a united front is being formed against online discrimination, particularly sexist and racist abuse. Big Tech, government, and football authorities are taking coordinated actions to ensure the wellbeing of players and hold perpetrators accountable.
Football authorities, including the Football Association (FA) and anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out, are at the forefront of these efforts. The FA, for instance, swiftly responded when England footballer Jess Carter faced racial abuse during Euro 2025 by contacting UK police to pursue justice. The England team also issued strong statements condemning online abuse and supporting players' mental health, with Carter temporarily stepping away from social media while a team managed the abuse[1].
Kick It Out, meanwhile, continues to lead awareness and campaigning efforts. Their campaigns, such as "Kick Sexism Out," aim to address the sharp rise in sexism, misogyny, and racist abuse reported in the 2024/25 football season. The charity recorded a record number of nearly 1,400 reports spanning racism, sexism, transphobia, faith-based abuse, and ableism—mostly occurring on social media—indicating sustained high levels of discrimination across all football levels, including youth football[2][3][4].
The government's involvement is evident through UK police engaging in investigations following complaints from football bodies. However, the specific measures from Big Tech companies are not detailed in the sources, although their role is implied through the focus on online abuse and social media platforms as common venues for discriminatory incidents[1][2][3].
CEO Samuel Okafor of Kick It Out stated that online platforms are still falling short in addressing the issue of abuse. The data, which comes after Home Office figures last month showed a 23% rise in hate crimes reported at 420 matches last season compared to the previous season, supports this claim[5]. Sexism and misogyny reports rose by 67%, with Kick It Out receiving 621 reports of online abuse in England and Wales—a 5% increase from the previous season[6].
Reports of ableist abuse went up sharply, seeing a 45% rise. Racism in the professional game saw an increase, with reports going up from 223 to 245. Okafor stated that the rise in abuse in youth football should be a wake-up call[7]. He emphasized that the volume of abuse remains high and those responsible often face no consequences. More than 43% of the online abuse reports were related to racism[8].
Okafor also highlighted a shift this season in how people are calling out sexist behavior. The renewed calls for action against perpetrators followed online racist and sexist abuse aimed at Lionesses defender Jess Carter last month[9]. The rise in sexism reports was partially due to an increase in online abuse, where reports of sexist content went up by 72% compared to the previous season[10].
In summary, football authorities like the FA take direct action by involving law enforcement immediately after online abuse incidents and publicly condemning hate speech. Kick It Out leads awareness and campaigning efforts targeting sexist and racist abuse in football, monitoring abuse trends, and reporting record numbers of incidents. Government involvement includes UK police engaging in investigations following complaints from football bodies. Big Tech's role, while not explicitly detailed, is implicated through the focus on online abuse and social media platforms as common venues for discriminatory incidents. These ongoing coordinated efforts aim to hold perpetrators accountable and protect players from online discrimination in English and Welsh football.
The FA and anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out, actively involved in the fight against online discrimination in English and Welsh football, have launched campaigns such as "Kick Sexism Out" to address the rising cases of sexism and misogyny in sports, particularly football. Big Tech companies, while their specific measures are not detailed, are indirectly involved due to the focus on online abuse and social media platforms as common avenues for discriminatory incidents.
