Labour calls on the Government to hold social media companies to account over discrimination in sport

Today (Wednesday), Labour will use an Opposition Day
Debate in the House of Commons to call for tougher action to tackle
discrimination in sport.

Labour would like to see a system introduced where offending content
on social media is shared with sports governing bodies and clubs to
ensure the offender can be banned from matches and sporting events.

Labour MPs will be calling on the government to hold social media
companies to account given the unacceptable levels of discrimination
that remain in sport.

Racism, sexism and homophobia targeted at players and fans are often
left unpunished on social media. It affects athletes of all levels,
across the country.

Labour recognises the work done by governing bodies, clubs and
supporters’ groups across all sports to combat discrimination and
encourages these organisations to work with fans to stamp out the
behaviour of a minority of supporters.

Rosena Allin-Khan MP, Labour’s Shadow Sports Minister, said:

“Parliament has a responsibility to send a strong message that we
need to combat discrimination across all sports. This is an important
debate because right now, our national sport is being ruined by racists,
sexists and homophobes.

“The comments being made on Twitter would be indefensible in a court
of law, indefensible in front of an employer, and yet they are going
unpunished on social media. We want social media companies to have a
responsibility to remove hate speech within 24 hours or face serious
fines that hit their bottom line.

“There is no greater unifier in the world than sport, so we want
Parliament to send a clear message today, that discrimination in sport
must no longer be tolerated.”