Neal Maupay speaks out about online abuse while the Premier League reveals information of Ivan Toney’s bigotry.

Brentford’s Neal Maupay has spoken out about the online abuse he received as a Premier League player, joining the discussion on BBC Radio 4’s podcast “Why Do You Hate Me?” in an effort to advocate for action against such behavior.

The episode also features Tim Cooper, who heads the Premier League‘s ‘troll-busting unit,’ discussing racial abuse directed at Brentford striker Ivan Toney during the previous season.

While both Maupay and Toney have seen some perpetrators of abusive messages held accountable, Maupay stresses the need for preventive measures to stop such messages from being sent in the first place.

Brentford has criticized social media platforms for their inadequate efforts to combat online abuse.

Maupay, currently on loan at Brentford from Everton, experienced abuse after

scoring against Arsenal while playing for Brighton in June 2020.

He faced a barrage of abusive messages and death threats, prompting him to report the crimes to ensure accountability.

Despite efforts by clubs and the Premier League to address the issue, Maupay

acknowledges that more needs to be done to prevent such incidents from occurring.

Toney, Maupay’s Brentford teammate, also faced racist abuse, leading to the

identification and prosecution of the perpetrator. Cooper highlighted the swift

action taken by the Premier League in response to Toney’s case, underscoring

the importance of collaboration with law enforcement to address online abuse effectively.

Recently, Toney was again subjected to online abuse, prompting Brentford to

condemn the harassment and call for urgent action from social media platforms.

The club emphasized the need for criminal prosecutions and meaningful consequences

for offenders to deter future incidents of online hate.

In summary, Maupay and Toney’s experiences underscore the ongoing challenge of ‘

combating online abuse in football, highlighting the importance of collective action by clubs, leagues,

and social media platforms to protect players and address this pervasive issue.

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