Women’s football aces call on social media firms to root out racially abusive accounts

STARS of the women’s game have called on tech giants to tackle racist trolls online following an abusive post aimed at Rinsola Babajide. 

The England and Liverpool Women’s forward, 22, shared a screengrab of a shocking slur sent to her via Instagram in which an account used the N-word. 

In the post, a user going by the name azliz1 said: “Football is only for men you n*****. 

However, Instagram surprised some users who reported the derogatory message by stating the account ‘doesn’t go against our Community Guidelines’. 

Several football aces including former Liverpool Women’s boss Vicky Jepson are demanding action against racially abusive trolls.

And some figures are directing their anger at Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag . 

Jepson, 33, said: “Social media needs to seriously step up and put a stop to this type of behaviour!”

Jepson’s words were echoed by Chelsea keeper Carly Telford who called on Instagram to ‘do better’.

And Wales midfield ace Jess Fishlock and her international team-mate Helen Ward have warned tech firms to ‘step up’. 

Growing calls for a clampdown came on a day in which Swansea City announced they would be boycotting social media platforms created for their men’s and women’s teams for one week.

In a statement, the Championship side said it was taking action after several players were subjected to ‘abhorrent abuse’.

And the EFL team’s boycott of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat, comes after Jamal Lowe and two of his team-mates were targeted online. 

Swansea captain Matt Grimes said: “As a close and diverse group of players, this is something we all feel extremely passionate about. 

“Three of our squad have been racially abused in recent weeks and, as a squad and club, we wanted to take this stance as we again call on those at the forefront of social media companies to implement the change that is needed now and in the future.

“I find it staggering that we are still talking about racism and abuse of this kind.

“We are acutely aware of the pressures within football at this level, but it shouldn’t be underestimated as to how such levels of abuse can affect someone.

“Social media has provided so many positives over the last decade, however, the sickening and vile abuse that we are seeing on a daily and weekly basis is wholly unacceptable, and we hope that this stance across the club will be supported by everyone.

“We are a family, and we will always stand shoulder to shoulder with each other, whether that’s on the pitch or helping to fight injustice off it.”

Facebook, who are the owners of Instagram, told SunSport that discrimination had no place on its platforms. 

They also claimed they “want to hold people who share it accountable”.