Jess Carter, a member of the first-choice backline for the England senior women’s national soccer team, is standing up to online hate. She intends to take the man who is alleged to have sexually harassed her during the Euro 2025 tournament in Switzerland to court. The 27-year-old athlete courageously shared her experience of high-level racial abuse she suffered at the beginning of the tournament. Her bombshells have triggered a firestorm of criticism and an ever-expanding multi-state investigation.
Carter’s difficulties began as the primary campaign got underway. Not only was that backlash unfair, but reports found that she was targeted with a disproportionate level of vitriol on social media. A study that was done during that tournament uncovered a shocking stat. In that final penalty shoot-out against Sweden, 9.8 percent of all abusive posts directed at players went to Carter. This fact highlighted how urgent the problem was and led city leaders to act right away.
Mark Roberts, chief constable of Cheshire Constabulary and head of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, condemned the online abuse as “appalling”. His comments call attention to a growing worry within the sport. As players, and especially those coming from historically marginalized backgrounds, navigate these pivotal challenges, there is much at stake. Once Carter exposed the abuse, the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) went on the offensive. So they opened a civil rights investigation to make sure the bad guys get punished.
It didn’t happen, and a 59-year-old man now has been charged with malicious communications. He is scheduled to be in court this coming January. This comes on the heels of his reported role in dispatching harassing Twitter messages to Carter while the tournament was still occurring. Earlier this week, authorities said they were confident additional arrests would be made as they relentlessly pursued the case.
Carter’s resilience was evident on the field, where she played a crucial role in England’s successful Euro 2025 campaign. She started and played the entire match during the final penalty shoot-out win over Spain, contributing to England lifting the coveted Euro trophy.
In response to her bravery in speaking out against abuse, Carter received tributes from her teammates and public figures, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Their support makes clear that solidarity within the sport, and society at large, to fight against online harassment is not just a dream, but a reality.
The response to the abuse aimed at Carter shows a growing recognition and rejection of this behavior in the sports world. As more athletes come forward to share their experiences, it is hoped that these incidents will lead to stricter policies and protections for players against online vitriol.
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