Arsenal Women’s highly anticipated announcement of Swedish international Smilla Holmberg’s signing has been overshadowed by a wave of online abuse. The club was forced to disable comments on its Instagram post welcoming the 19-year-old player after it was flooded with sexist and hateful messages, highlighting the ongoing issue of online harassment directed at women in sports. The incident underscores the challenges facing teams as they attempt to foster fan engagement while protecting players from negativity on social media.
Arsenal announced Monday the signing of Swedish player Smilla Holmberg from Hammarby.
The club revealed the news on Instagram with a series of photos, culminating in a welcome video featuring the 19-year-old.
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Comment Section Shut Down After Online Abuse
In the video, Holmberg excitedly shares her anticipation of pulling on the Gunners’ red jersey in competitive action.
However, Arsenal was quickly forced to disable comments on the post.
The action was taken in response to a wave of deeply sexist comments directed at Holmberg, as reported by The Sun.
Outrage Over Online Behavior
“It’s just sad!”
That’s how social media expert Ståle Lindblad responded when asked for his thoughts on the situation.
“It’s sad that people act this way. It speaks to a general attitude among some who engage in this kind of commentary, but it’s also incredibly damaging for women’s football,” he said, adding:
“These kinds of examples don’t help build up women’s football.”
‘SISTER ACT’: Smilla Holmberg has nine caps for Sweden’s national team.
Photo: Bildbyrån
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Lindblad explained that social media can be a powerful tool for promoting the sport, but also a breeding ground for negativity.
“Social media has given everyone a voice, and that’s a good thing. It allows fans to express their opinions and connect with the game. But it also means that all the negativity gets a platform,” he said.
Everyone Has a Voice
Lindblad believes much of the online harassment stems from a decline in constructive engagement from regular fans, creating space for abusive comments like those directed at Holmberg.
How can this be avoided?
“I think it simply comes down to all of us not giving up on social media. Social media can be a very good thing, and it gives everyone a platform to express themselves. It can drown out the noise from these ‘trolls’ and even help to remove it,” he answered.
“The Gunners,” currently third in the Women’s Super League, have yet to comment on the decision to close the comment section.
