Henderson: "My mind was already made up before we played away to Real Madrid last week, but everything that followed that game confirmed what I already knew - that taking a stand was no longer optional"
Wednesday 14 April 2021 16:20, UK
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson says the online abuse directed at his Reds team-mates last week "turns his stomach".
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Naby Keita and Sadio Mane were targeted for abuse following the 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the first leg of Liverpool's Champions League quarter-final.
Henderson has handed control of his social media accounts to the Cybersmile Foundation, a cyber-bullying charity, but says he considered coming off the platforms altogether - and still might.
Writing in the match programme ahead of Wednesday's return leg against Real at Anfield, Henderson said: "I'm sick of seeing people I know, and people I don't know, having to put up with the kind of abuse that turns my stomach.
"It has to stop and anyone who has a shred of decency has to play their part in making it stop.
"I didn't [hand over the accounts to Cybersmile] lightly - I thought about it a lot and at one stage I was considering switching off all of my social media accounts in protest.
"I still have that option and I applaud those, like Thierry Henry, who have taken the ultimate step as far as this issue is concerned.
"My mind was already made up before we played away to Real Madrid last week, but everything that followed that game confirmed what I already knew - that taking a stand was no longer optional.
"Seeing lads who I play with - people I regard as close friends to the point of feeling like family - being racially abused on their platforms made me sick. This is a family publication so I will be careful with what I say and how I say it but, suffice to say, just thinking about it still makes me furious a week after it happened.
"What kind of person would do that? A football match happens and your response is to target black players online to give yourself some sort of sick kick? That is bad enough, but just as unforgivable in my opinion is that it is allowed to happen."
Sky Sports is committed to making skysports.com and our channels on social media platforms a place for comment and debate that is free of abuse, hate and profanity.
For more information please visit: www.skysports.com/hatewontstopus
If you see a reply to Sky Sports posts and/or content with an expression of hate on the basis of race, colour, gender, nationality, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexuality, age or class please copy the URL to the hateful post or screengrab it and email us here.
Online Reporting Form | Kick It Out
Kick It Out is football's equality and inclusion organisation - working throughout the football, educational and community sectors to challenge discrimination, encourage inclusive practices and campaign for positive change.
