‘Disgusting treatment’

MANCHESTER, England (AP):

MANCHESTER CITY forward Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw has been subjected to “racist and misogynistic” abuse on social media, the club said yesterday.

City said the Jamaica international was targeted after Sunday’s game against Arsenal and that it would give her its full support “following the disgusting treatment she’s received”.

Shaw is one of the top women’s football players in the world and was making her 100th appearance for City in the 3-4 loss to Arsenal.

City did not expand on the content of the messages, but said they had been forwarded to authorities.

“Discrimination of any kind, either in stadiums or online, will not be tolerated and has absolutely no place inside or outside the game,” City said in a statement.

“Bunny has decided not to share the messages publicly so as not to give the oxygen of publicity to the vile individuals who sent them.”

Chelsea defender Millie Bright was also verbally abused over the weekend.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited, which organises the WSL and Women’s Championship, said the abuse would not be tolerated.

“We are shocked and saddened to hear about the incidents that occurred over the weekend.

“Players, coaches and officials should be able to do their job without being subjected to abuse, either in person or online, and there is no place for it within women’s football or wider society,” a statement read.

“We are speaking to both clubs and offering any support they might need.”

In 2023, world governing body FIFA said one in five players at the Women’s World Cup that year received “targeted discriminatory, abusive or threatening messaging”.

Almost 50 per cent of “detected and verified” abusive messages from that tournament were homophobic, sexual and sexist, according to data from FIFA’s Social Media Protection Service.