We can’t control the trolls’: threats to Carney highlight football’s growing issue

It was as predictable as it was despicable. “I’m going to rape and kill you,” read the message from the Instagram user benhughes_15 at 8.28am on Friday. Then, as if taunting the unnamed England player he was addressing following the abuse received by Karen Carney after Chelsea’s Champions League victory against Fiorentina this week, he added: “Can I get a headline on bbc sport?”

Six hours after sending that hurtful message, the user’s account had yet to be suspended by Instagram despite it being highlighted by the England Women manager, Phil Neville, to his 450,000 followers and subsequently covered by various media outlets. “Another disgraceful, awful, despicable message sent to one of my @lionesses,” wrote Neville. “@instagram can you do a better job of protecting my players who use your social media platform!!”