The Dark Side of Social Media in Football: A Call for Change
In a recent interview with Vaclav, a football player who faced online abuse after a match, he revealed the disturbing reality of the digital world’s impact on athletes. “After the game, I went to the locker room and everything was fine,” Vaclav described.
However, little did he know that the match would have a sequel on social media platforms. “His fans were relentless. I decided to stay away from social media for a few days. But when you turn on your phone, you see how many notifications and messages are waiting for you. There were really a lot of comments. Insults to my family, accusations of not playing well, and even threats,” Vaclav shared.
One particularly disturbing message he received read, “One of Cristiano’s nails is worth more than your whole family. CR7 should never be compared to you.” This was just the beginning. “I received messages threatening my daughter. It was too much. Personal attacks and messages to my wife will stay in my head for a long time,” the Czech goalkeeper confessed.
The best approach, according to Vaclav, is to ignore the hate and let it go. “But in this day and age, we are all on social media. We are easy targets. Attacks on family, race, and orientation are crossing the line. The worst case was Kuba Jankto, who came out as gay last year. The football community accepted it beautifully, but the online opinions were often harsh,” Vaclav explained.
The new project “Beyond the Line” aims to tackle the darkness of vulgarity in football, including cyberbullying. Is it possible to overlook the insults and excesses? How can we defend ourselves?
“We have limited options, people can hide behind fake profiles nowadays, but we want to address this issue. We not only want to punish but also educate. We must shed light on this together,” said Michal Volf, chairman of the Disciplinary Committee for Czech Football.
In conclusion, the online abuse faced by athletes is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. It is time for a change in the way we interact on social media, promoting respect and understanding. Let’s stand together against cyberbullying and create a safer digital environment for everyone involved in sports.ter nebo anonymn. Ale myslm si, e je dleit se nevzdat a bojovat proti tomu. Musme bt siln a nechat si to nesahat na rodinu nebo na ns samotn. Musme se postavit proti hrubmu chovn a ukzat, e to nem msto ve fotbale ani v ivot.
