Online abuse: UEFA, FIFA and ECA join English football in boycotting social media

"UEFA has announced it will join a coalition of English footballing stakeholders, including the Football Association and the Premier League, by taking part in their social media boycott (until 03/05/2021). The aim of the online boycott is to show solidarity in the fight against online abuse," said the European confederation on 29/04/2021. A motion that was followed a few hours later by FIFA, then the ECA (see below), on 30/04/2021.

"The Football Association, Premier League, English Football League, FA Women's Super League, FA Women's Championship, PFA, LMA, PGMOL, Kick It Out, Women in Football and the FSA will unite for a social media boycott from 15:00 BST (16:00 CET) on Friday 30/04/2021 to 23:59 BST on Monday 03/05/2021, in response to the ongoing and sustained discriminatory abuse received online by players and many others connected to football," announced the 11 English football bodies and associations on 24/04/2021.

A number of Premier League players have recently been the victims of violent and racist comments from anonymous individuals via social media posts, including…