Kyle Walker: Man City defender suffers racist abuse and says Instagram and authorities must act
Kyle Walker said “Instagram and the authorities need to stop this from happening” after experiencing racial abuse. Manchester City lost 0-2 In the Champions League with Juventus.
Walker played the full 90 minutes in Turin on Wednesday as City suffered their seventh defeat in 10 games in all competitions.
The 34-year-old made a call to action in an Instagram Story, in which he used screenshots of racist messages he had received.
“No one deserves the kind of vile, racist and threatening abuse I have received online since last night’s game,” Walker wrote on Instagram.
“Instagram and the authorities need to put a stop to this for the sake of everyone who suffers this kind of abuse. This is never acceptable.
“To our fans, we will continue to work as a team to do better, improve and get through this together.”
It’s not the first time the England defender has highlighted such abuse online. In April 2021, he similarly shared a screenshot and called for action, but he suffered further abuse the following month.
Instagram said it is continuing to take steps to address abuse online.
Premier League champions Manchester City said they “strongly condemn” the racist abuse suffered by Walker.
“We refuse to tolerate any form of discrimination, whether in the stadium or online,” the club said.
“We will offer Kyle our full support following the disgusting treatment he received.”
Walker captained Manchester City in Turin and has made 315 appearances for the club since joining from Tottenham Hotspur in 2017.
The England international won 15 major trophies during his time at the Etihad, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League.
BBC Sport has contacted Instagram’s parent company Meta for comment.
