Footballers are calling out racism because they have had enough. Those with power must act | Samuel Okafor

"Ratcliffe's language certainly doesn't help, and players have been calling this out for a long time. One thing is clear: they've been showing the type of leadership that those who have more power in the game and society should follow. Calling out discrimination is a courageous move, and should never be taken for granted."

"Like all players, they wanted accountability. A man pleaded guilty in the case of Carter and is due to be sentenced. Semenyo's alleged abuser is due to be tried. We hope that, via the UK Football Policing Unit, similar action will follow the latest spate of abuse. Meeting discrimination with accountability is the biggest way we can embolden everyone to stand up and report it."

"Reports of online discrimination sent to Kick It Out have risen by a third this season compared with the same point last season. Across football, the challenges faced in the online space are numerous, yet players increasingly are taking action because they've had enough."

Recent incidents involving Sir Jim Ratcliffe's comments about immigration and Vinicius Junior's reporting of racist abuse have prompted discussions about discrimination in football. Four Premier League players reported racist abuse following matches, raising questions about whether discrimination is increasing or if more players are reporting it. Players like Jess Carter and Antoine Semenyo have demonstrated leadership by calling out online abuse they received. Their actions have encouraged others to report discrimination. Accountability through legal action against abusers is essential to embolden further reporting. Online discrimination reports to Kick It Out have risen by a third this season compared to the previous year, indicating both increased abuse and greater willingness to report incidents.

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