Wycombe Wanderers will boycott social media this weekend to take a stance against online racism.
Numerous clubs from the Premier League down to the Non-League will take part in the protest from 3pm on Friday, April 30 to 11.59am Monday, May 3.
This is due to players and members of non-playing staff who represent various clubs at various levels across the country, being racially abused through the platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Wanderers' tweet regarding the social boycott
Wycombe Wanderers will switch off its social media platforms this weekend as a show of solidarity with the wider footballing community against the ongoing and sustained discriminatory abuse received online by players and many others connected to football.
— Wycombe Wanderers (@wwfcofficial) April 28, 2021
READ MORE: Aylesbury United to boycott social media due to racial abuse
In their statement that was published on Wednesday, April 28, the club said: "Led jointly by the FA, Premier League, EFL, FA Women’s Super League, FA Women’s Championship, PFA, LMA, PGMOL, Kick It Out and the FSA, the social media boycott will run from 15.00 on Friday, April 30 to 23.59 on Monday, May 3.
"The club has consulted with its players and will not be insisting that they participate in the boycott, and will fully support any player who wishes to continue to post on their social media platforms over the course of the weekend.
"Wycombe Wanderers were disappointed with the lack of support given by some of the aforementioned organisations during a case of discriminatory language towards one of our players last season.
“But, together, we support the importance of educating people in the ongoing fight against discrimination and ask social media companies to continually do more to combat online hate.
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The Brentford and Wycombe players take a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement before the Carabao Cup first round match on Sunday, September 6 (John Walton/PA Wire)
“They have taken small positive steps towards establishing filtering protocols, which we hope is seen to fruition for the overall improvement of everyone’s social media experience.”
This will mean that the club will not be posting on its Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram accounts during the boycott period, but they will continue to post content on its website.
Wycombe take on promotion-pushing Bournemouth this weekend – a game that could confirm Wanderers’ relegation to League One.
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