England's Lionesses are calling for stronger action from the Football Association (FA) in response to the racist abuse that Jess Carter has endured during the Euro 2025 tournament. Carter, a defender for both England and Gotham FC, revealed that she has been subjected to a barrage of racial slurs on social media since the competition began.

Carter shared an emotional message on Instagram, stating that while she respects fans' opinions on her performance, she finds it unacceptable to be targeted because of her race. She has decided to take a step back from social media to protect herself and maintain her focus on helping the team. Her team will manage her accounts moving forward.

The Lionesses have rallied around Carter, condemning the "vile" abuse and demanding accountability for those responsible. In a statement released by the team, they expressed their solidarity with Carter and all Lionesses players, past and present, who have experienced racism. They emphasized that it is unacceptable for players to be treated differently because of their skin color while representing their country. The team announced they will no longer take the knee before matches, a symbolic anti-racism gesture, because they feel "it isn't hitting as hard” anymore and stressed the need to find new ways to tackle racism head-on.

The FA has responded to the situation, with CEO Mark Bullingham stating that their priority is to support Carter. The FA has contacted UK police, who are now working with the relevant social media platforms to bring the perpetrators to justice. Bullingham noted that the FA has measures in place to respond quickly to such incidents, as this is not the first time an England player has been targeted with racist abuse.

Carter's club, Gotham FC, also released a statement expressing their heartbreak and outrage at the abuse. They described Carter as a world-class player, role model, leader, and valued member of their team.

Several players have deactivated their social media accounts in response to the widespread abuse. Lotte Wubben-Moy, who plays for Arsenal, also deactivated her own accounts, saying the problem stretches far beyond the pitch. She called out platforms that allow abuse to thrive without consequences and said she no longer wanted to fuel those systems.

The incident has prompted widespread condemnation and calls for social media companies to do more to prevent online abuse. Kick It Out, a leading anti-racism organization, has called on social media companies to take responsibility for the abuse that occurs on their platforms and to implement measures to prevent it. They also support players in whatever actions they choose to take to signify their support in the fight against racism, but the focus should be on the reason behind those actions rather than the actions themselves.