When the Whistle Blows: The Racial Prejudices in English Sports Coverage
The general English press has been notorious for scapegoating their athletes of colour. English when they win. Children of immigrants when they lose. After England’s loss against Iceland in a friendly, Bukayo Saka, who was substituted in the 65th minute of the match, was on the sharp end of this, with one of the headlines even reading “Black Ice.”
Personally, the disappointment still runs deep, and the well of rage will not run dry. When I saw the headlines, I wasn’t caught off guard. Appalled, yes. But not shocked or surprised at the least.
We often like to separate politics and sports when it pleases us, but the interconnectedness of the two is very much a reality. Sports is escapism. When you switch on a match for a few moments, you can escape the problems of your life, and the beauty of it lies there. The reality is that sports do not exist in a vacuum—what happens on the pitch carries on to the real world and can impact it in ways that go beyond the final whistle.
The way athletes are treated, especially athletes of colour, is a mirror of societal attitudes towards people of colour in general. When athletes of colour are subjected to abuse, it sends a clear message that no one is immune to racism, no matter how successful or celebrated they are.
The Weight of the English Jersey
Today, I recalled conversations with my Black and POC friends. One thing we all seemed to agree upon was the weight of the English jersey, not just in terms of prestige but in terms of what it is like to support England, and a hypothetical question—whether we would play for the country if we were professional footballers. The answer is this: there is always a feeling at the back of our minds, a sense of discomfort when we support England. It reminds us of the world we live in, different from our white counterparts. The abuses hurled, whether at the stadium or online, remind us of our experiences of being people of colour in this country.
To support or hypothetically play for England feels conflicting. Even if we proudly identify as English, and even though times are progressing, the treatment of athletes of colour remains abhorrent, whether by the press or by the public. So why wear the jersey anyway?
The Burden of Control
The abuse that these athletes face is a pattern we’ve seen time and time again. Before the 2018 Men’s World Cup, England manager Gareth Southgate said, “We have a plan in place.” Unfortunately, the reality is that racism is expected. For Black players, it is a reaction that needs to be controlled, anticipated, and managed as part of their professional lives.
Ashley Young, who was a wing-back for the 2018 English national team, said, “We’ll talk about it, and we have talked about it, in the squad—what to do and what not to do.” He added, “Hopefully Fifa, if anything is to come about, will be able to deal with it.”
This expectation of controlling their reaction places an unfair burden on these athletes, who are forced to develop coping mechanisms for the inevitable abuse they face, both on and off the pitch. They must maintain their composure under pressure, knowing that any reaction could be used against them, furthering the narrative of them being problematic or not “English enough”—a double standard that is exhausting and demoralising, as they have to perform exceptionally well while also navigating a minefield of racial prejudice.
The Euro 2020 Final
In 2021, England made an impressive run in the Euro 2020 tournament, reaching the finals against Italy. The match ended in a 1–1 draw, leading to a penalty shootout, which England subsequently lost. After this defeat, Black players on the England soccer team faced a barrage of online racist abuse. This despicable behaviour was condemned by the squad’s captain, manager, royalty, religious leaders, and politicians alike. Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka were the primary targets of this abuse after missing their penalty kicks in the decisive shootout.
“I can take critique of my performance all day long… but I will never apologise for who I am and where I came from,” Rashford said in his statement.
There was an outpouring of support against this from members of the national team, including captain Harry Kane, who said on Twitter:
England manager Gareth Southgate called the abuse “unforgivable”.
The Women’s Game and Lauren James
And it’s not confined to Men’s Football. Lauren James, who plays for Chelsea and the England Women’s National Team, wrote against racist abuse at 19 years old in The Telegraph.
James’ debut World Cup two years later was marred by further abuse after her stamp on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie, which led to her being sent off and banned for two matches. A similar incident occurred during a WSL game against Arsenal when James appeared to stamp on Lia Walti. Both Alozie and Walti urged fans to stop to cease the harassment, and Chelsea issued a statement condemning the abuse.
Too late, already, to stop racism from shadowing James’ career beginnings. No other female player of this generation has had to endure a level of abuse so consistent and so vicious. So much to carry at 22, but James wrote in that article in The Telegraph that by 19 she had long learned Black women had it differently in all areas of life.
Efforts to Tackle Racism
So what’s being done? Efforts to tackle racism in football are being spearheaded by both the Premier League and FIFA through comprehensive initiatives.
The Premier League, alongside partners such as The FA, EFL, Kick It Out, and others, has implemented a “No Room for Racism Action Plan”, built around increasing diversity and tackling discrimination by investigating online abuse, providing mental health support, and expanding reporting systems for fans.
On the global stage, FIFA has introduced a five-pillar plan proposing severe sanctions, match forfeits, and educational initiatives.
All of these plans and proposals are necessary and valued, but post-match, it was the media that showed prejudice. For news media to be truly non-racist, it must commit to fair and unbiased reporting, actively avoid perpetuating stereotypes, ensure diverse representation in newsrooms, and provide training on cultural sensitivity and awareness. Only by addressing these systemic issues can the media become a platform that upholds equality and justice in sports and beyond.
In short — more diversity. More Black people and POC in media.
The Media’s Role in Shaping Narratives
When we see an athlete of colour being vilified for a loss, it’s a reflection of the broader societal tendency to scapegoat and marginalise people of colour when things go wrong. It’s a deflection from the real issues at hand, an easy way to shift blame and perpetuate stereotypes. The question isn’t just about the game’s outcome anymore; it’s about how the narrative is shaped and who gets to tell it.
When the players win, they’re hailed as national treasures, a testament to the country’s diversity and talent. But in defeat, their heritage becomes a point of contention, sometimes an excuse for their supposed lack of ‘Englishness.’ And it’s not a pattern that is just confined to football.
Post-match, we saw a similarity among all newsrooms. The choice of the cover photo and of the headline. Media undoubtedly holds an important role in shaping the narrative. Implicitly or explicitly, they showed their bias. Their choice of imagery and wording is not accidental. The implication is clear: when the team fails, the blame is placed disproportionately on players of colour. This vilification perpetuates the notion that these athletes are not truly part of the national fabric, despite their significant contributions to the sport.
While efforts to tackle racism in football are essential, they must be accompanied by a commitment to fair and unbiased reporting in the media.
To dismantle something so deeply rooted, there needs to be more Black people, more People of Colour in the room. Representation does matter. Having people of different backgrounds in a room does matter.
As someone who works in the sports media industry, I’ve seen firsthand how pivotal it is to have a diverse range of voices contributing to the narrative, and only by embracing this diversity in our newsrooms can we challenge and bring about change.
If the responsibility has been entrusted to us to provide the narratives, why aren’t we doing better?
