Sue Campbell has blasted the keyboard warriors targeting sportsmen and women and vowed to do all she can to protect Team GB women’s football team.
Baroness Campbell, the FA director of women's football, spoke out after manager Hege Riise named an 18-strong squad with Steph Houghton, Lucy Bronze, Ellen White and Fran Kirby among 15 England players selected.
She condemned the racial abuse Marcus Rashford received on social media in the wake of Manchester United ’s Europa League final defeat as “vile”.
And she promised: “We will make sure we give our own team the best possible advice and we will do our very best to support and protect them should they receive the kind of disgraceful abuse that Marcus got.
“For someone like Marcus, who has done so much as well within the community, to receive that hate, must be utterly confusing as an individual. Why would anyone talk to him in that manner?
“It's so wrong that our top sportsmen and women are subjected to this vile and unnecessary abuse.
“We are working really hard, all of us in football, to try to make sure the online companies take greater responsibility for what they are doing to protect our individuals.
“We are also looking at the new legislation that is coming in, making sure it truly has some teeth. Because this is not acceptable.”
Riise, who pledged to support her players in every way she can, said having to whittle a final squad down to 18 players had been “the hardest decision I ever made”.
Chelsea's Beth England, Arsenal duo Beth Mead and Jordan Nobbs, and Man City's Alex Greenwood were among the players to miss out.
Asked if she believed Team GB could win Olympic gold, Riise said: "That's what we are planning for. You can never take away dreams.
“We all know we have little time to be the best team in the world, but we'll take on that challenge and do the best we can.”
Team GB squad:
Goalkeepers: Karen Bardsley, (Man City/England), Ellie Roebuck (Man City/England)
Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea/England), Lucy Bronze (Man City/England), Rachel Daly (Houston Dash/England), Steph Houghton (Man City/England), Demi Stokes (Man City/England), Leah Williamson (Arsenal/England)
Midfielders: Sophie Ingle (Chelsea/Wales), Kim Little (Arsenal/Scotland), Jill Scott (Man City/England), Keira Walsh (Man City/England), Caroline Weir (Man City/Scotland)
Forwards: Lauren Hemp (Man City/England), Fran Kirby (Chelsea/England), Nikita Parris (Lyon/England), Georgia Stanway (Man City/England), Ellen White (Man City/England)
