CAST will be joining Charlton Athletic FC, The FA, Premier League, EFL, FA Women's Super League and Women's Championship, the PFA, LMA, PGMOL, Kick It Out, Women in Football and the Football Supporters Association for a social media boycott from 15.00 on Friday 30 April to 23.59 on Monday 3 May, in response to the ongoing and sustained discriminatory abuse received online by players and many others connected to football.

This boycott has been scheduled to take place across a full fixture programme in the men's and women's professional game and will see clubs across the Premier League, EFL, WSL and Women's Championship switch off their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

The game recognises the considerable reach and value of social media to our sport. The connectivity and access to supporters who are at the heart of football remains vital. However, the boycott shows English football coming together to emphasise that social media companies must do more to eradicate online hate, while highlighting the importance of educating people in the ongoing fight against discrimination.

Those connected with football have made repeated requests of social media companies, urging filtering, blocking and swift takedowns of offensive posts, an improved verification process and re-registration prevention, plus active assistance for law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute originators of illegal content. While some progress has been made, we reiterate those requests today in an effort to stem the relentless flow of discriminatory messages and ensure that there are real-life consequences for purveyors of online abuse across all platforms.

Boycott action from football in isolation will, of course, not eradicate the scourge of online discriminatory abuse, but it will demonstrate that the game is willing to take voluntary and proactive steps in this continued fight

As Charlton Athletic Supporters Trust, we stand with all those who have received abuse and we stand against those who perpetrate abuse.

Now is the time for the social media companies to step up and eradicate abuse, so social media comment enhances rather than blights the game
We invite all to join us
#KickitOut

The club has announced that:

"The boycott will mean that Charlton's social media accounts, including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, will all fall silent for the 81-hour period, which will include all coverage of the Addicks' Sky Bet League One fixture against Accrington Stanley on Saturday, May 1st."