Soccer-Violence and abuse a growing concern in men's soccer, says FIFPRO

A person places a sign as people protest in solidarity with Real Madrid soccer player Vinicius Jr, who was racially abused during a club match in Spain, near the consulate of Spain in Sao Paulo, Brazil May 23, 2023. REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli/File Photo

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Workplace safety is a growing concern for footballers, who are having to deal with flares and missiles being hurled from the stands, pitch invaders and verbally abusive fans, outlined a FIFPRO report released on Thursday.

The global players union said footballers complained that they often had to accept the aggression in silence rather than talk about it for fear it might exacerbate the abuse or impact their job opportunities.