western ham Advocate Hawa Cissoko reflected on the racist abuse she suffered last year and called on social media companies to offer more safety online.
Cissoko received a torrent of racism after she was sent off following an altercation with Aston Villa's Sarah Mayling during a 2-1 defeat in the women's category. Super League on October 15.
It was later reported to the police, but Cissoko believes that racists โwill find every opportunityโ to be racist.
โYeah, to be honest, I was surprised,โ Cissoko admitted of the racism he faced.
โIt's not that I thought the men were lying or that it wasn't happening to them, but it never happened in women's football or maybe if it did then the women stayed silent. I didn't expect this to happen to me, especially when the people who did it don't even watch our games.
โIf I were from people who follow the league I would understand a little more, but when I was from not even French either English I told people, "You should focus on your own business."
โI realized that some people are just racist and take every opportunity to be racist and say whatever they want.
โWhen I understood this it was easier to handle because at first you take things personally, you think that they don't like you when they see you every week, they hate me, but when I realized it was out of character. WSL fans, I thought, 'I don't care.'
โI know some people send messages because they know nothing will happen even if you tell them you're going to the police. They know that nothing will happen. We need more security and more. "I don't know how they can do it."
Last week the Government passed an online safety bill, designed to make the internet in Britain safer.
I realized that some people are just racist and take every opportunity to be racist and say whatever they want.
West Ham's Hawa Cissoko
However, Sheffield United goalkeeper Wes Foderingham received racist abuse earlier this month to further highlight that the fight to eliminate discrimination in sport still has a long way to go.
Cissoko admitted that the best way he found to deal with racism was to turn off his phone.
And he added: โYes, it is difficult (to receive abuse), but it depends on who you have around you. If you have good teammates and your boss supports you and shows you love, respect and the support you need, then it is easier. Obviously I have my family too.
โOn social media I just ignore people because it's not real. Those people can say a lot of things on social media, but if they knew me they would never say this because they would see that I am actually a human being with a heart and feelings.
โIf I turn off my phone, they don't exist. The most important thing is the relationships I have with my teammates, my coach and my family.โ
Paris-born Cissoko will begin her fourth season with West Ham this weekend and remains keen to change the perception around her.
The France international was sent off twice in the 2021-22 campaign before her notable red card last October.
"I think some people have created an image around me as a player that I'm aggressive and stuff like that, but if you look, I think I commit fewer fouls than any other defender," Cissoko said.
โI'm really quite relaxed and calm. When I go with the referees I try to be respectful, I speak in a low voice all the time. The same thing has happened to me with male and female referees.
"I got tackled one time and I felt like it was a foul and he didn't do it and I said, 'Hey ref, this is a foul!' And he said, 'no, just calm down.' This is not the time to say "calm down", just ignore me and I will calm down!
โI think it is simply a misunderstanding between players and referees. I think we just need to talk to them. I will understand them more if I talk to them and they will understand more.
"I'm going to tell you a secret. As players, everyone wants to be a journalist or coach, but I think that after my career I would like to be a referee.
โMaybe I need to start learning with the under-15s and go to their game and the referee, maybe that will change my mind. No top player in men's or women's football has become a referee. Maybe he can be the first.โ
