Following the racist abuse directed at England's Jess Carter during the Women's Euro 2025, former Arsenal and England star Ian Wright has voiced his reaction, urging families to play a role in helping children become more resilient to racism. Carter revealed she had been targeted by racist abuse on social media during the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 in Switzerland and that she would be stepping away from social media for the remainder of the tournament.
The abuse suffered by Carter has been widely condemned. The Football Association (FA) has denounced the "abhorrent abuse" and has reported the matter to the UK police. England manager Sarina Wiegman expressed her sadness and disgust that the team had to deal with such an issue, but affirmed that Carter was "ready to perform" in the semi-final match against Italy. Wiegman also conveyed that the team wanted to "send a message to the world" in response to the racism. England midfielder Georgia Stanway noted that the collective support for Carter had strengthened the team.
Amidst the widespread condemnation, the England team has decided to alter its approach to addressing racism. Instead of taking a knee before their semi-final game against Italy, the Lionesses announced they would stand. The team released a statement explaining that they and the sport need to find a more effective way to combat racism. Several players, including Lucy Bronze and Georgia Stanway, have voiced the opinion that the symbolic gesture of taking a knee has lost some of its impact. Stanway explained the team felt the knee was repetitive and wasn't achieving the desired outcome, so they hoped that standing would initiate more conversation and change.
Support for Carter has also come from the Italian camp. Italy's head coach Andrea Soncin expressed "maximum solidarity" with Carter and emphasized the "huge responsibility" to stand up against such vitriol. He stressed that violence of any kind is unacceptable and that positive, educational messages are crucial, especially for children. Defender Cecilia Salvai also conveyed solidarity, hoping Carter could play "100%" in the semi-final and detach herself from the abuse. Soncin planned to discuss with his team how they might express their support to Carter and the England team.
Research has indicated the extent of the abuse directed at Carter on social media. During England's quarter-final match against Sweden, a significant percentage of posts were abusive or insulting, with Carter being among the players receiving the most toxicity. Many abusive users were found to be based in the UK, with a majority being male.
The incident involving Jess Carter is not isolated, as Wiegman noted that she is not the only one to experience such abuse and racism. The online platforms are under increasing scrutiny to protect athletes and remove abusive content.
