Chelsea Manager Bompastor Condemns “Crazy” Homophobic Abuse Directed at Kerr and Mewis

Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor expressed her view that “it’s just crazy for me to understand how people can react like this” regarding the homophobic remarks aimed at Sam Kerr and Kristie Mewis, following the couple’s announcement that they are expecting a child. On Monday, Chelsea striker Kerr revealed on her Instagram account that her partner, West Ham midfielder Mewis, was pregnant. The Instagram post featured photographs of the couple, accompanied by the caption: “Mewis-Kerr baby coming 2025!” Some users subsequently posted homophobic comments on the announcement. “I just want to support Sam. I fully support her,” Bompastor stated during a news conference held before Chelsea’s Champions League match against Celtic on Wednesday (20:00 GMT). “This is just unacceptable to have these kinds of comments, especially in 2024. ” “It’s just crazy for me to understand how people can react like this. ” “I just want to focus on the positives and give all my support to Sam and Kristie. We are really proud and really happy for them. ” “As a mum I cannot think about anything else. As a woman, to have the opportunity to become a mum, that’s the best news you can have in your life.” Sam Kerr and Kristie Mewis are anticipating the arrival of their first child. On Tuesday, Chelsea released a statement addressing the “unacceptable and hateful homophobic comments.” The statement further declared: “There is no place in society for any form of discrimination and we will not accept any abuse directed towards our players, staff or supporters.” It continued: “We are extremely proud to be a diverse, inclusive club that celebrates and welcomes people from all cultures, communities and identities.” West Ham, Mewis’s club, also condemned the abuse, mirroring Chelsea’s stance. “We urge social media platforms to take greater accountability in tackling ongoing and sustained discriminatory abuse online,” West Ham, known as the Hammers, informed BBC Sport. “We would like to focus on celebrating this special moment with Kristie and her partner Sam, and to share our heartfelt wishes to the both of them on their pregnancy news.” Millie Bright, a defender for Chelsea and England, attended the news conference alongside Bompastor and conveyed that they are “really happy” for Kerr and Mewis. Bright added: “Seeing the joy it brings for both of them – this is what we’re put on earth for.” She also commented: “We don’t have the time of day for certain comments. Our focus is on spreading happiness, being there for one another and supporting each other regardless of their situation.” Bright further expressed her desire for “more done” by social media companies and football authorities to address abuse on social media platforms. “There shouldn’t be any room in this world for comments like that and behaviour such as that. I just totally disagree with it,” Bright remarked. She continued: “I’d like to see more done about it. I’ve always said social media can be the best thing or the worst thing in the world and that if I wasn’t a footballer I’d come off social media in a heartbeat. ” “There’s things that you can do to block out the negative side of it. It’s a real shame because it should be a place where people share memories and share their joys in life. ” “I’d like to share my family – they’re the biggest thing in my life. [But] you do have that tiny little niggle in your head thinking ‘are they going to get abused?’ You shouldn’t have to live like that. I don’t quite understand it to be honest.” Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Women’s Football Weekly podcast, Jen Beattie, a former defender for Arsenal, Manchester City, and Scotland, observed: “It still saddens me to this day that we know how progressive the women’s game is and how much the men’s side isn’t. It’s still fuelled by homophobic comments, racial comments. ” She added: “As much as we know how much sport can be a positive impact on so many people, it’s still so frustrating that social media platforms allow that level of hate to be given to players. ” Beattie concluded: “It’s another reminder of how social media platforms need to be held more accountable for the hate thrown at people as human beings, regardless of their sexuality or race. I think it’s another reminder of how far society has to go.” When questioned about the incident during a news conference on Tuesday, England manager Sarina Wiegman stated: “It is very, very disappointing. I’m really happy for them. They look really happy and I hope it all goes well.” Chelsea Pride, an LGBTQ+ supporters’ group, condemned the comments on X. The group stated: “It’s heartbreaking and infuriating to see social media flooded with hateful comments when we should be celebrating love, pride, and unity.” Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, affirmed that it treats “bullying and harassment situations seriously” but acknowledged it is “a unique challenge and one of the most complex issues to address because context is critical.” It further added: “We’re always creating new resources and tools, and revising policies with expert help to continually tackle the issue.”