Suspect arrested for racist and abusive messages sent to Lioness Jess Carter

Emily Nicole

Suspect arrested for racist and abusive messages sent to Lioness Jess Carter image

A 59-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of sending racist and abusive messages to England defender Jess Carter. 

The messages were reportedly sent during the European Championship 2025, where the Lionesses defended their title. 

27-year-old Carter revealed during the tournament that she had been subject to racist slurs on her social media. 

The FA and UK police had been informed of the issue and an investigation was undertaken. 

The unnamed man was arrested in Lanchashire but has now been released as the investigation continues. 

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The ongoing problem of racism in football

Racism is a constant topic of conversation within the sport, and sadly it doesn't seem to be going away. 

With efforts like Kick It Out, the Football Governance Bill, FIFA"s Global Stand Against Racism, taking the knee, speaking out and more, you would think that this issue would be eradicated - or at least close to it. 

But it seems more present than ever. And Jess Carter is just one case from the most recent Euros.

Manchester City's Khadija "Bunny" Shaw was subjected to racist and misogynistic abuse during the last season of the Women's Super League. 

And there are constant cases within the men's game. 

The most recent case came in Bournemouth's clash with Premier League champions Liverpool, where Antoine Semenyo was subjected to racist abuse from a crowd member. 

It lead to a pause in the game as officials addressed the situation. 

The individual was escorted out of the stadium. And Semenyo went on to score both of Bournemouth's goals in their 4-2 defeat.

Cases are clearly being taken seriously, but it doesn't seem to be enough.

And with the open access to social media, there aren't enough preventative measures to stop abuse from happening.

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Emily Nicole

Emily Nicole is a freelance contributor for The Sporting News. Emily is a sports journalist, with a passion for motorsport with professional experience across print, broadcast and social media. Emily holds a Journalism Bachelor’s Degree and a Media & Communications Master’s Degree, both from City, University of London. You can follow more of Emily's work on The F1 Rundown on TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@thef1rundown).