Emma Hayes and Lia Walti hit out at ‘disgusting’ online abuse of Chelsea ace Lauren James
EMMA HAYES slammed the “disgusting amount of abuse” directed at Lauren James following Chelsea’s loss to Arsenal in the WSL on Sunday.
The Blues boss compared the online trolling of the forward to the vitriol aimed at David Beckham after his 1998 World Cup red card.
Emma Hayes says the level of abuse Lauren James has endured online is unacceptable
Chelsea criticised derogatory comments aimed at the forward following her challenge on Lia Walti during a clash with Arsenal
Hayes, 46, was speaking ahead of her side’s Women’s Champions League clash with BK Hacken at Stamford Bridge on Thursday evening
The group stage duel between her side and the Swedish giants comes four days after James, 22, made headlines for an off the ball challenge on Arsenal ace Lia Walti
The incident which occurred in the second-half of the Blues and Gunners’ clash at the Emirates, was captured in BBC Sport footage.
James was given a yellow card for an apparent stamp on Walti’s foot.
The clip went viral on social media platform X with some of the forum’s users posting derogatory comments and insults about James.
It comes four months after the Lionesses starlet was sent off for treading on the back of Nigeria player Michelle Alozie during England’s last-16 defeat of Nigeria at the World Cup.
Walti, whose Gunners side take on Tottenham in the league on Saturday, also called out the derogatory comments aimed at James.
The Arsenal ace, whose team beat Spurs in the Conti Cup on Wednesday, defended the Blues player via her official X account.
She tweeted: “I initially didn’t want to say anything, but I can’t look away.
“I absolutely can’t stand any sort of abuse – online abuse and any other sort of discrimination is disgusting.
“No one gets better by putting others down!!!”
On Monday Chelsea issued a written statement condemning “the online abuse directed towards James”.
The club also stated that it stands “strongly against any form of discriminatory behaviour.”
Hayes said: “It’s disgusting the amount of abuse she has received from the public, from the media and from the press.
“We’re talking about a young player here that, no question, is always working to learn in the background and bits and bobs.
“But some of the language I’ve seen used to vilify her externally, I think is unacceptable.
“I don’t see the same level of abuse attributed to other players in the league, who have had their own challenging moments.
“And I think it’s fair to say that, if I’m in her position, I’d be thinking that there is racial profiling going on.”
Hayes, whose side are second in their Champions League group, sees parallels between the trolling of James and the abuse of Beckham during the early stage of his England career.
The iconic former Three Lions captain was sent off for kicking the leg of Argentina captain Diego Simeone during a World Cup knockout match which his side lost on penalties.
In a Netflix documentary the Man United icon said the incident “brought a lot of attention” that he would never wish on anyone.
Following the match and tournament Beckham was on the receiving end of vile abuse from some football fans including members of the public haranguing him on the streets.
Hayes added: “Lauren is a young player and she made an error in the summer.
“Of course, she has to keep learning those things, but they aren’t done in like single segments..
“Managing emotions comes with maturity, and that isn’t there yet with her.
“But it reminds me very much of David Beckham in many ways when he got red-carded at the (1998) World Cup.
David Beckham was subjected to vile abuse from the public after being sent off during England’s World Cup clash with Argentina in 1998
“I think the treatment of Lauren sometimes is very similar.
“We have to realise for a young person in a day and age where social media is unbelievably vitriolic.
“Some of the nasty language and labelling and name calling, it goes over the edge, to be honest with you.”
