Carney’s abusers deserve the blame, not Leeds

KAREN CARNEY is absolutely entitled to her opinion. But so are Leeds. Freedom of speech must flow both ways. When Carney said the club’s promotion came ‘because of Covid’, Leeds were perfectly within their rights to dispute that. It was the disproportionate wider reaction and abuse then directed towards Carney on social media that was despicable. And there is a platform that allows it, and appears to get away scot-free whenever this happens. What can also be said is that the moment Leeds saw the vile ugliness dispensed in their name, they should have moved to shut it down. Condemn the abusers, support civilised debate, maybe even try to find the worst culprits if they have club membership. They were too slow to act. Yet those arguing they should have known Carney (right) would be open to sexist abuse also miss the mark. It cannot be that some viewpoints cannot be challenged. That a pundit is above criticism for being female, or black, or in any other way vulnerable. Leeds have a record for robust defences — although not in the actual games — so this was no surprise. Leeds may appear very thin-skinned but clubs, or football professionals, can’t just stand back for any pundit who wishes to take a swing. They came back at Carney with no more than facts and a wry, chin-scratching emoji. And that is their right. Carney, one imagines, does not want to be protected; she just wishes to do her job without a constant barrage of savagery. Sexist abuse, racist abuse, all abuse — there is a responsibility to challenge it, remove it, address it. Instead we have become conditioned to do nothing until some line at the extreme edge is crossed. By then it is far, far too late.