Phil SumblerAs the Swans go into their first full day of their well publicised – and rightly commended – social media boycott the words of Steve Cooper yesterday tell you all you need to know about why it has to happen and why I firmly believe that this will be just the beginning.
The papers were already reporting last night that the topic of social media boycotts will be on the agenda at the next meeting of Premier League and EFL clubs and nobody is ruling out a wider boycott by all clubs.
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has handed over his social media channels to the Cybersmile Foundation who help tackle online abuse so it certainly does feel that the actions of Swansea City yesterday will have a much longer and wider impact across football.
To all of you who said Swans boycotting social media was pointless, the change has already started.
The little actions always add up.👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/BgQh4ZCLDJ
— Wil (@WilSCFC) April 8, 2021
Steve Cooper yesterday recalled his discussion on the team bus with Jamal Lowe last week after the player was subject to abuse following the Swans 1-0 defeat at Birmingham. It was a game where the Swans did not play anywhere near well but when the player tells his manager after the abuse “this happens now doesn’t it”. It is a sad indictment of our current game that players think that is normal and it has to end now.
The cowards that hand out this abuse do not see the lasting effects and impacts of their actions and it is difficult, no actually it is impossible, to understand what their motivations are. As Cooper added “The most important thing is the welfare of the guys who receive the abuse, but then it’s the aftermath of how their families and team-mates react.
“With Yan [Dhanda], it was a good two or three days after where it really hit him, and then it’s his mum and dad and his siblings.”
The actions of the clubs are designed to make the companies sit up, take notice, and deal with the abuse properly. As the club statement said yesterday “Chief executive Julian Winter has sent a letter to Twitter CEO, Jack Dorsey, and Facebook’s founder, chairman and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg to reiterate the club’s stance and desire to see social media companies introduce more stringent policing and punishments for those guilty of the appalling and cowardly abuse that has sadly become far too common.”
And it is far too common to see online abuse. As Captain Matt Grimes added “I find it staggering that we are still talking about racism and abuse of this kind. We are acutely aware of the pressures within football at this level, but it shouldn’t be underestimated as to how such levels of abuse can affect someone.
“Social media has provided so many positives over the last decade, however, the sickening and vile abuse that we are seeing on a daily and weekly basis is wholly unacceptable, and we hope that this stance across the club will be supported by everyone.
“We are a family, and we will always stand shoulder to shoulder with each other, whether that’s on the pitch or helping to fight injustice off it.”
Yesterday for me was a pivotal day where football clubs and players stood up against these sickening actions that have blighted our game and we have to move towards the position where it just doesn’t happen. Football will win the day.
#ENOUGHISENOUGH
Steve Cooper outlines the reasons behind our club-wide boycott of social media.
Over to you, social media companies… pic.twitter.com/frQ8gpvEhR
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) April 8, 2021
