UEFA announces social media boycott

The UEFA has announced it will be joining a social media boycott this weekend alongside the Women’s Super League, the Premier League and a host of other English soccer stakeholders.

The groups will go silent on social media in a show of solidarity in the fight against online abuse.

UEFA joins stakeholders from English football by boycotting social media platforms across the weekend.

The boycott will last until 23.59 BST on Monday / 00.59 CEST on Tuesday as a show of solidarity in the fight against online abuse.#StopOnlineAbuse

— UEFA Women’s Champions League (@UWCL) April 30, 2021

The boycott will last from Friday until Monday.

“There have been abuses both on the pitch and on social media,” UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said in a statement on Thursday. “Allowing a culture of hatred to grow with impunity is dangerous, very dangerous, not only for football, but for society as a whole.

“I urge everyone – players, clubs and national associations – to lodge formal complaints whenever players, coaches, referees or officials are victims of unacceptable tweets or messages. We’ve had enough of these cowards who hide behind their anonymity to spew out their noxious ideologies.”

Chelsea F.C. forward Sam Kerr tweeted her support for the boycott on Friday, calling on others to join the effort.

Today, from 3pm, English football and other sports, organisations and individuals stand together against online abuse.

Join us and switch off too, as we collectively demand change.
#StopOnlineAbuse pic.twitter.com/VIJaly3nE6

— Sam Kerr (@samkerr1) April 30, 2021

There are two Women’s Champions League semifinal games happening this weekend:

• Barcelona vs. PSG, Sunday, 6 am ET (tied 1-1 on aggregate)
• Chelsea vs. Bayern, Sunday, 7:30 am ET (Bayern up 2-1 on aggregate)