Kyle Walker Urges Instagram to Combat Online Racism

Manchester City player Kyle Walker has called for action from “Instagram and the authorities” to prevent racist abuse, an appeal made after he was subjected to such abuse following his club’s 2-0 loss to Juventus in the Champions League. Walker joined Manchester City in 2017. The incident occurred after Walker participated for the entire 90 minutes of the match in Turin on Wednesday, a game that marked Manchester City’s seventh defeat in their last ten outings. The 34-year-old defender issued his plea for intervention via an Instagram story, which included a screenshot displaying the racist message he had been sent. On Instagram, Walker stated, “No-one should ever be subject to the sort of vile, racist and threatening abuse I have received online since last night’s match.” He further urged, “Instagram and the authorities need to stop this happening for the sake of all who are suffering this abuse. It is never acceptable.” He also addressed supporters, writing, “To our fans, we will continue to work as a team to do better, to improve, and turn the corner together.” This instance marks a recurring issue for the England international, who previously brought attention to similar online abuse. In April 2021, he also posted a screenshot and requested action, only to experience additional abuse the subsequent month. At that time, Instagram indicated its ongoing efforts to develop measures aimed at combating online abuse. Premier League champions Manchester City issued a statement, declaring they “strongly condemn” the racist abuse directed at Walker. The club affirmed, “We refuse to tolerate discrimination of any kind, regardless of whether that be in stadiums or online,” and added, “We will be offering Kyle our full support following the disgusting treatment he has received.” Walker served as captain for Manchester City during the match in Turin and has accumulated 315 appearances for the club since his transfer from Tottenham in 2017. Throughout his tenure at Etihad Stadium, the England defender has secured 15 major trophies, notably six Premier League titles and the Champions League. The Premier League commented, stating, “Racism has no place in our game or anywhere in society.” The league further encouraged, “We encourage anyone who hears or sees discriminatory abuse to report it so action can be taken.” The Premier League also confirmed its commitment to supporting Kyle Walker and Manchester City in addressing online hate. BBC Sport has reached out to Meta, the parent company of Instagram, for a statement regarding the incident.