Breaking the Silence: Unprecedented Surge of 1,007 Reports Exposing Discrimination in the 2022/23 Season

Kick It Out is seeking assistance from various parties within football in light of a notable increase in reports of discriminatory conduct during the 2022/23 season. The organization received an unprecedented 1,007 reports, encompassing incidents from professional football, grassroots programs, and social media platforms. These figures represent a significant upsurge of 65.1 percent compared to the previous season.

Kick It Out saw a significant surge in reports related to online forums and social media, with a staggering increase of 279 per cent. However, it is disheartening to note that racism continues to prevail as the most prevalent form of discrimination within the realm of sports. In fact, it constitutes 49.3 per cent of the overall total. Notably, reports regarding sexism and misogyny experienced the greatest escalation in a specific type of discrimination. As a consequence, Tony Burnett, CEO of Kick It Out, emphasizes the urgent need for additional support and resources.

He expressed concern over the notable rise in reports throughout the game, which further motivates our determination to combat discrimination in every aspect of football. Each of these statistics represents an individual who has unfortunately encountered discrimination, and our utmost priority at Kick It Out is to support these victims of abuse.

As we persevere in our relentless efforts at Kick It Out, we appeal to fans, clubs, leagues, and governing bodies to join forces with us in this cause. It is encouraging to see an increasing number of reports per incident, indicating that people are becoming less accepting of discriminatory behavior and more inclined to report instances of abuse when observed.

Our statistics offer a glimpse into the current state of affairs in the game; however, we lack a complete understanding due to the absence of a requirement for clubs, leagues, and governing bodies to share their reporting data. This highlights the pressing need for football to establish a centralized reporting system that can gather and oversee these reports. Only through this mechanism can we grasp the entirety of the issue within football and address it with the utmost determination.

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In collaboration with Kick It Out, our partnership has witnessed a steady increase in Kick It Out's reports-per-incident rate for the fourth consecutive season. This rise indicates that fans are becoming more proactive in reporting instances of discrimination. However, the data also reveals a substantial surge of 400 percent in reports of sexism and misogyny overall, soaring from 16 incidents to 80 incidents.

The number of online abuse incidents targeting female players and supporters has dramatically increased, going from one report in 2021/22 to 46 this season.

Instances of faith-based discrimination showed a slight decrease, with a 29.5 percent drop in reports of anti-Semitic incidents. However, there was a significant increase in Islamophobia, which rose by 300 percent, and a 15.8 percent rise in sectarian chanting in professional matches.

Discrimination reports in professional football increased by 27.4 percent, reaching a total of 484. These reports include incidents from various leagues and competitions such as the Premier League, EFL, National League, domestic cups, European and international tournaments, Women's Super League, and Women's Championship.

Particularly concerning was the significant surge in reports of disability-based abuse within the professional game. The number of such reports nearly tripled compared to the previous season, with a total of 23 reports received during the 2021/22 season, as opposed to only eight in the previous season.

Meanwhile, Kick It Out has observed a significant increase of 55.1% in reports from grassroots and non-League football, receiving a total of 242 reports, compared to the previous count of 156.

Within the sphere of grassroots football, racism remains the main cause for concern, constituting 50.8% of all reported incidents. Additionally, a significant portion of the incidents, totaling 43.4%, are derived from games involving players under the age of 18, indicating the prevalence of issues within this particular age group. Research conducted by Kick It Out indicates that numerous incidents still go unreported, shedding light on the ongoing issue.

Social media abuse comprised a much larger proportion of overall reports this season, making up 28 per cent of all reports received - up from 12.1 per cent last year.