Former England striker Emile Heskey believes that football fans should no longer ignore abusive language and behavior on the pitch, saying 'no' is a more effective response than simply ignoring it.
Heskey's own experiences of racism as a young player have driven his desire to create a new online tool, the Football Safety App, which allows fans to report abuse. He recalls being chased by an abuser from Leicester City's old stadium when he was 14 and notes that his situation would be vastly different today due to the increased availability of social media platforms.
"The reality is that it's not as simple as just ignoring them," Heskey says, adding that he believes social media has made abuse worse. "You've got access to abuse anyone you want at any given time." The former Leicester City player argues that this new technology should be used to protect fans of all ages.
Heskey also expresses concern over the impact of racism on women in football, citing his own experience of witnessing girls struggling with the attention they receive as professionals. He believes it is crucial for female commentators and players to report abuse and receive tangible support from authorities.
"It's not just about racism," Heskey says. "It's about everything." The Football Safety App will be used to protect fans regardless of their age or background, with a focus on ensuring everyone feels safe while watching football matches.
In an interview, Heskey also discussed the decline of Liverpool and the lack of support from teammates during difficult times. He suggests that players should take responsibility for stepping up and digging each other out of tough positions.
"We never really had all our players in a rut at the same time," Heskey says. "We had fighters who'd dig you right out of a hole. Where's that? I haven't seen it." He believes football can be made a safer space for everyone, and that fans should take an active role in reporting abuse.
As a father of two young sons playing professional football, Emile Heskey is particularly passionate about creating a supportive environment for the next generation of players.
Heskey's own experiences of racism as a young player have driven his desire to create a new online tool, the Football Safety App, which allows fans to report abuse. He recalls being chased by an abuser from Leicester City's old stadium when he was 14 and notes that his situation would be vastly different today due to the increased availability of social media platforms.
"The reality is that it's not as simple as just ignoring them," Heskey says, adding that he believes social media has made abuse worse. "You've got access to abuse anyone you want at any given time." The former Leicester City player argues that this new technology should be used to protect fans of all ages.
Heskey also expresses concern over the impact of racism on women in football, citing his own experience of witnessing girls struggling with the attention they receive as professionals. He believes it is crucial for female commentators and players to report abuse and receive tangible support from authorities.
"It's not just about racism," Heskey says. "It's about everything." The Football Safety App will be used to protect fans regardless of their age or background, with a focus on ensuring everyone feels safe while watching football matches.
In an interview, Heskey also discussed the decline of Liverpool and the lack of support from teammates during difficult times. He suggests that players should take responsibility for stepping up and digging each other out of tough positions.
"We never really had all our players in a rut at the same time," Heskey says. "We had fighters who'd dig you right out of a hole. Where's that? I haven't seen it." He believes football can be made a safer space for everyone, and that fans should take an active role in reporting abuse.
As a father of two young sons playing professional football, Emile Heskey is particularly passionate about creating a supportive environment for the next generation of players.
. I mean, I've been to some games where it's like, you just wanna leave, 'cause someone says something nasty. But Emile Heskey is right, ignoring it doesn't solve anything. It's like, if you say "no", that can be a big deal, you know? 
And social media makes it worse because now people can just send crap to anyone anywhere. 
. It's just not right.
. It's just about creating a supportive environment for everyone, you know? And as a parent, it's even more important to me... I don't want my kids to have to deal with all that stuff in the future 
. I mean I get it, not everyone can be a hero like Heskey, but come on, we gotta do better than just sitting there and taking it 
. The Football Safety App sounds like a great idea tho, finally somethin's bein' done about this 
. And yeah, it's not just racism, it's all sorts of abuse that needs to stop 
. I'm glad Heskey is speakin out, more fans need to follow his lead and report the crap 
i mean i got respect for emile heskey wanna create a tool to help kids and womens in football who are dealing with abuse, thats awesome. but we need to take responsibility as fans ourselves 
. Like, we've all been there, right? You're watching the game and some other bloke is going mental on the pitch... but instead of just ignoring him, you report him and it gets taken care of 
? Anyway, Emile's onto something here, and as a dad myself, it's great to see him taking the lead on making footy a safer space for kids 
like they think its funny or no big deal... but its not cool... my nephew got called some nasty names once and he was so upset... 
Emile Heskey is right, "no" is a good answer not just ignore them... maybe we can make football a safer place for everyone... 
my kids play football too and I want them to feel safe on the pitch...
The Football Safety App sounds like a game-changer, especially with social media making it easier to report abuse. Its not just about racists, but also other forms of abuse that can be super hurtful 
My sons are always playing footy with me on the weekends, and its heartbreaking to think they might face similar issues 
. Emile's new app is a good start, and I think it's awesome he's doing this as a dad of young boys who love football. Let's all just try to be kinder and more supportive, especially towards women in sports 
. Like, what's next? Rising sea levels gonna be all over our screens too 
. It's not like we didn't see this coming... or did we? 
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It's time for us all to take responsibility and make sure our young players feel supported and respected. As a parent myself, the thought of my kids facing that kind of abuse is absolutely terrifying! 
. And yeah, social media is part of the problem, it's like we're all connected and can see everything that's going on. We should use that connection to spread love and kindness instead of hate and negativity 
. It's not just about racism, it's about creating a culture where everyone feels welcome and respected