Eni Aluko presented a dim portrait of working in men’s football and claimed that the game in this country ‘not a safe place for women’.
The former Chelsea striker insisted that there are safety concerns both physically, in stadiums, as well as on social media. And questioned the effect it will have on the next generation of girls who are now ‘alive to football’ because of the success of the Lionesses.
Aluko has suffered a torrent of abuse on social media, most prominently from Joey Barton. The former Manchester City midfielder has made a number of sexist rants against several female former players, pundits and commentators having a role in the coverage and analysis of men’s football in recent months.
‘I say it all the time,’ Aluko began on The Sports Agents podcast. ‘Men’s football in this country is still not a safe place for women.
‘Whether you’re the wife of an average football fan who loves football or you’re me who works in professional broadcasting, it’s not a safe space. It’s not a safe space physically going to a stadium and it’s not a safe space on online.
Eni Aluko shared her view that men’s football in this country is not a safe space for women
The former Premier League footballer (above) called Aluko and commentator Lucy Ward ‘the Fred and Rose West of football commentary’ after an FA Cup game on ITV
Broadcasters Lucy Ward (left) and Alex Scott (right) have also been attacked by Barton on social media
‘So when we look at the next generation of young girls who are alive to football because of the Lionesses and who likely want to get into football, whether they play or work behind the scenes.
‘What would make them want to do that when there’s daily casual racism, sexism, misogyny toward the women at the top.
‘I just refuse to now to sit back and go “Oh, it’s part of the job,” I can’t do that anymore. For me, I’m talking to government, how are we going to create laws so that this is not so easy.’
In February, Aluko hit out at social media firm X, claiming the platform ‘allows people to vomit their hatred unchecked’ after being verbally attacked by Barton.
Among his shocking rebukes was calling her and Lucy Ward ‘the Fred and Rose West of football commentary’ in a reference to the two infamous serial killers – while Alex Scott and England keeper Mary Earps have also been targeted in his posts.
He also bizarrely alleged that Aluko and her family used ‘dodgy money’ to pay for a lavish lifestyle.
After receiving support from ITV – with whom she regularly works as a pundit – Aluko revealed that she had taken legal action against Barton, while also claiming she left the UK due to being ‘genuinely scared’ for her safety following his comments.
‘It’s scary how easy it is on social media to just attack women,’ she added. ‘Misogyny is not even a hate crime at this moment in time but there’s so much online.
The Lionesses success in recent years has inspired a new generation of girls to take up the game and has increased the profile of women’s football in this county
Barton had previously and inaccurately claimed Aluko’s family had come into ‘dodgy money’
Aluko received support from ITV following Barton’s attack on her and Ward in January
‘Unfortunately football is a sort of access point for a lot of that. I think it’s the last bastion of what people consider to be a male only space.
‘It has been for a long time a space where men have been able to express themselves freely without the gaze of women and all of this stuff.
‘The reality is that football has always been for everyone and now women are becoming much more part of it but I feel the backlash is getting worse.’
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