Our chair Chris Boardman has written to Ofcom expressing his concern about recent online abuse directed towards the England Women's football team, as they compete at the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 in Switzerland.
Here's his letter to Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes DCB in full:
Dear Dame Melanie,
Re: Online Abuse Targeting the England Women’s Football Team
I am writing to express Sport England’s deep concern regarding the recent wave of racist and sexist abuse directed at members of the England Women’s football team across social media platforms. This behaviour is abhorrent and unacceptable in any context, but it is especially disheartening given the progress we have made in championing women and girls in sport.
Through Sport England and National Lottery investment, we have committed hundreds of millions of pounds to increase participation, visibility, and opportunity for women and girls in sport. These efforts are beginning to bear fruit, with record levels of engagement and a growing sense of pride and representation among young women across the country.
However, the toxic culture that persists online, particularly on social media, threatens to undermine this progress. The abuse faced by these athletes not only causes personal harm but also sends a damaging message to the next generation of girls who aspire to follow in their footsteps. Research on behalf of our This Girl Can campaign has shown a fear of judgement is a huge barrier to women being active, and abuse of our elite athletes online only increases reservations amongst those taking part at a community level.
We are therefore writing to national governing bodies and Active Partnerships to urge them to take a public stand against this abuse and to support their athletes in calling for change.
We also believe that Ofcom has a vital role to play. The Online Safety Act 2023 provides a framework to address illegal and harmful content, including hate speech and misogynistic abuse. We note that Ofcom has now published its initial Codes of Practice, including those relating to illegal harms and the protection of children. These codes place legal duties on in-scope services to assess risks and take proportionate steps to mitigate them.
We are particularly interested in how the new codes can be used to address the kind of targeted abuse we are seeing. We understand that Ofcom has also issued draft guidance on improving online safety for women and girls, and we would welcome the opportunity to discuss how these measures can be strengthened and enforced. For too long internet trolls have been given free rein by the big tech companies to spread bile and misery, and this cannot be allowed to continue.
Could you please advise what further steps can be taken within the current regulatory framework to tackle misogyny and racism online? We would also be grateful for any guidance we can share with our partners to help them support athletes and advocate for safer online spaces.
Thank you for your continued leadership in this area. We look forward to working together to ensure that sport remains a safe and inspiring space for everyone.
Yours sincerely,
Chris Boardman
Chair, Sport England