Scottish football joins social media blackout in protest against racism
Last updated 29th Apr 2021
Scottish football associations and clubs are to join a weekend-long social media blackout in protest against online racist attacks.
The Scottish FA, Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), Scottish Women's Football and PFA Scotland said they will switch off all social media activity from 3pm on Friday until a minute before midnight on Monday.
They invited clubs to join the boycott.
The move comes after a coalition of English football's largest governing bodies and organisations including the Football Association, Premier League and EFL, said they would do the same.
Social media blackouts have already been undertaken by Rangers, Swansea and Birmingham in recent weeks, with Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson stating he would be willing to follow Arsenal great Thierry Henry in coming offline altogether in protest against racist behaviour.
The Rangers boycott was in support of Glen Kamara and Kemar Roofe after their Europa League match against Slavia Prague.
Slavia defender Ondrej Kudela has been banned for 10 matches by Uefa after being found guilty of racist behaviour towards Kamara, allegedly calling the Finn a "f** monkey'', something Kudela denies.
SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: "Discrimination of any kind has absolutely no place in Scottish football and the online abuse received by some of those involved in our national game is absolutely abhorrent.
"Players and supporters from diverse backgrounds have played, and continue to play, an enormously positive and valued role in our game.
"Social media provides a wonderful platform for clubs of all sizes to communicate with their fans.
"It's a platform that our clubs have used to great effect in recent years but it is also a medium that is being abused by a vile and mindless minority.
"These cowards often hide behind anonymous accounts and it is incumbent upon social media companies to actively and aggressively combat this problem.''
Show Racism the Red Card campaign manager Jordan Allison said: "Through social media, players are on the receiving end of targeted hatred on an almost daily basis.
"These deeply traumatising experiences are enabled by platforms that put the monetisation of footballers before their welfare.
"Our charity fully supports this united stance from Scottish football and believes it should mark the beginning of a powerful campaign that urges social media companies and governing bodies to address the concerns of black and ethnic minority players and supporters.''