BT SPORT host Jake Humphrey has slammed trolls for their ‘misogynistic, sexist and vile abuse’ aimed at Karen Carney.
The England Lionesses legend, 33, deleted her Twitter account after receiving a torrent of sexist abuse following a tweet from Leeds’ official account about her punditry last week.
Carney was abused on Twitter after Leeds’ tweeted about her comments while working as a pundit for Amazon Prime SportCredit: PA:Press Association
Carney had previously claimed the enforced break caused by coronavirus last season helped them clinch the Championship title and with it a long-awaited return to the Premier League.
The former Chelsea forward was speaking as a pundit for Amazon Prime Sport ahead of Leeds’ 5-0 drubbing of West Brom, with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink calling her assessment ‘spot on’.
But Leeds’ official Twitter account took exception to 144-cap England icon Carney’s comments and shared a video of the clip, pointing out that they won the Championship by ten points.
And ahead of Saturday’s lunch-time kick-off between Tottenham and Leeds, BT Sport host Humphrey demanded the ‘vile, sexist’ trolls show some compassion in defence of Carney.
Humphrey said: “Just a brief word of support for our always hard-working, well-researched, excellent colleague Karen Carney.
“Whether it’s Jermaine (Jenas), whether it’s Rio (Ferdinand), whether it’s Karen, whether it’s any pundit on any sports network, they are literally paid to have an opinion.
“You don’t have to agree with their opinion, you don’t have to like their opinion but the whole point of living in a civil society is that we all have opinions.
“We might disagree and it creates debate. And that’s cool.
Humphrey called for compassion on the back of Carney’s comments ahead of Tottenham vs LeedsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
“What’s NOT cool though is the horrible, misogynistic, sexist, vile abuse that went Karen’s way in the hours after her comments about Leeds.
“That is not an example of a tolerant society.
“And if we saw anything in 2020, surely we saw the fact that sending people abuse on social media isn’t victimless.
“It hurts people. And Karen has since decided to leave Twitter.
“So perhaps if 2020 and the years before it were all about intolerance and division, 2021 and the years that follow need to be about acceptance and compassion.”
Despite the backlash Leeds refused to delete their post and insisted the tweet ‘wasn’t offensive’.
Owner Andrea Radrizzani told talkSPORT’s Jim White: “I’m very sorry Karen was abused on social media.
“I wanted to defend my club and our players from a comment, which I felt was harsh from Karen on air.
“Our tweet wasn’t offensive – simply stating that we won the league by ten points.”
Carney won 144 caps for EnglandCredit: Getty Images – Getty
A club spokesperson added: “Leeds United completely condemns any abuse received by Karen Carney on social media following last night’s Premier League game with West Bromwich Albion.
“Everyone at our club respects Karen greatly for all she has achieved in the game, as well as her work in the media and the charity work she undertakes.”
Women In Football released a statement condemning the post.
It read: “Whether you agree with the comment or not, singling out and ridiculing an individual on an official club account is not what we’re here for.
“Karen Carney is a well-informed pundit. This tweet is inciteful & inappropriate. Not a good look now, or at any time.”
According to The Times, Leeds have reached out to Carney over the matter.
The report adds the club have invited her to their training ground to produce a TV report ahead of their FA Cup third-round clash with Crawley Town.
Amazon pundit Karen Carney claims Leeds were only promoted because of Covid
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
