England stars, including Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka, were the targets of horrendous online abuse following the Three Lions' defeat in the final of EURO 2020
Marcus Rashford who has been subject to online abuse
Marcus Rashford has been subject to online abuse after previous tournaments(Image: Getty Images)
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A special police investigation team will crack down on vile hate messages posted online aimed at England players during the World Cup. It will look at fans targeting Three Lions stars during the tournament. In the past, players like Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka refused horrendous abuse. Police have warned they will identify and prosecute online trolls and, if found guilty they could be jailed and face a lifetime ban of watching football.
Mike Hank, Director of the UK Football Policing Unit said: “One of the things that clearly always raises its head at tournaments, unfortunately, is online hate abuse. We will have an investigation team. We have worked extremely closely for the last two tournaments with the FA. This has been no different.
“We've briefed the players, the family, and friends. We certainly don't rest on our laurels in the UKFPU (United Kingdom Football Policing Unit). We work tirelessly throughout the season, domestically, and also through tournaments to make sure that we're in the right place.”
England manager Thomas Tuchel
England manager Thomas Tuchel prepares for the tournament(Image: NEIL HALL/EPA/Shutterstock)
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Mr Hank went on: “We've equally been holding social media companies to account to make sure that they're also responsible. And we have a series of meetings prior to the World Cup and actually during the World Cup with the social media companies where we'll talk through any specific cases and nuances.
“Certainly, with companies like Meta, there are a number of different features now that they are trying to work with the FA with the players to make sure that use does not land on their sites and their personal accounts and through the social media protection element of it. So there are a number of preventative measures that are in place.”
Chelsea legend Paul Canoville calling for crackdown on abuse
Chelsea legend Paul Canoville is calling for crackdown on abuse(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
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Former Chelsea star Paul Canoville, who himself has been subjected to a torrent of online abuse, welcomed the police’s move to have an investigation team.
He said: “The abuse has got to stop. It’s just not acceptable. It’s great the police have set up this investigation team but it’s got to have teeth. It’s got to take quick firm action and take these racist abusers off the web."
Canoville, who was Chelsea’s first black player in 1982, added: “We keep hoping things`are going to get better but every tournament it raises it’s ugly head again. I just hope the police have got enough people in their investigation team to handle it all.”
Murals were painted of (l to r) Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho after the trio were abused online in 2021
Murals were painted of (l to r) Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho after the trio were abused online in 2021(Image: Getty Images)
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England will be based in a suburb of Kansas City for the tournament. They will fly in and out for their group games. They kick off against Croatia in Arlington, near Dallas on June 17th. They follow this with Ghana in Boston on June 23rd and Panama in New York on June 27th.
Scotland will be based in North Carolina and play Haiti, Morocco and Brazil in the final stages of the World Cup for the first time since France back in 1998.
The tournament opens in Mexico City next Thursday and ends with the final in New York on Sunday 19th July. England are third favourites to lift the trophy for the first time since 1966.