Anti-Racism Advocate Lioness Roars Against Missteps

The England Lionesses have made a significant decision regarding a pre-match ritual, choosing to discontinue taking the knee as a form of protest against racism. The move, announced ahead of their July 21, 2025 Euro 2025 semi-final against Italy, follows a period of reflection prompted by the racial abuse directed at defender Jess Carter on social media.

The Lionesses had been consistently taking the knee before kick-off in all their matches at the tournament, a gesture popularized following the death of George Floyd and adopted by many sports teams as a demonstration of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. However, the team now believes that we and football need to find another way to tackle racism, as stated in their official announcement.

This decision has sparked debate within the anti-racism community. Piara Powar, the executive director of Fare, football’s international anti-discrimination body, expressed disappointment, stating that taking a knee is the most visible, almost defiant, gesture they can make. Powar argued that abandoning the practice in response to racist abuse feels counterintuitive, suggesting it concedes ground to those perpetrating the hate. He noted the gesture had even encouraged other teams to join in during the tournament.

The timing of the decision coincides with the implementation of the Online Safety Act, which came into force in March 2025. This legislation grants Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, powers to enforce action against social media platforms regarding harmful content, including racism. Powar believes the Lionesses’ situation presents a crucial test for the Act, questioning whether social media companies will be held accountable for the abuse suffered by players like Jess Carter. He highlighted the lack of high-profile action against platforms thus far, despite the new powers being in place.

The Football Association (FA) has publicly voiced its full support for the Lionesses’ decision, aligning with the squad’s assessment that a new approach is necessary to combat racism. This suggests a unified front within English football regarding the need for change, even if the specific path forward remains unclear.

Anti-discrimination group Kick It Out has also voiced support for the Lionesses’ decision, but with a pointed message directed at social media companies. The group is calling on these platforms to take greater responsibility for preventing online toxicity and protecting their users from abuse. The incident involving Jess Carter serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive nature of online racism and the challenges faced by athletes in the digital age.

Lucy Bronze, a key player for the Lionesses, has publicly offered her full support to Jess Carter following the racist abuse she received. While the team acknowledges the diminishing impact of taking the knee, the focus is now shifting towards finding alternative strategies to address the root causes of racism in football and beyond. Bronze noted that despite the growth of women’s football, online abuse is, unfortunately, worsening.

The decision to stop taking the knee doesn’t represent a retreat from the fight against racism, but rather a recalibration of tactics. The Lionesses, along with the FA and anti-discrimination groups, are signaling a desire for more concrete and impactful measures to hold perpetrators accountable and create a more inclusive environment for all. The effectiveness of the Online Safety Act and the willingness of social media platforms to enforce its provisions will be closely watched in the coming months, as will the development of new strategies to tackle racism within the sport.

As of today, February 4, 2026, it remains to be seen what form these new strategies will take. The Lionesses’ decision has undoubtedly opened a new chapter in the conversation surrounding racism in football, one that demands a collaborative and proactive response from all stakeholders.