After the BBC named Zambia’s Barbra Banda as the winner of the 2024 Women’s Footballer of the Year Award on Tuesday, social media was flooded with abusive sentiments directed at the 24-year-old Orlando Pride striker, especially from British users.
Banda, who is unquestionably one of, if not the best female footballer in the world right now, got the award for the first time after helping Orlando Pride win both the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) shield and championship.
However, in response to the BBC’s announcement of Banda as the winner of their prize, J.K. Rowling, the British author of the Harry Potter film, argued that Banda receiving the BBC player of the year award is an insult to women.
“Presumably the BBC decided this was more time efficient than going door to door to spit directly in women’s faces,” she posted on X.
This came after English news outlet, the Daily Mail reported that the BBC had awarded a player who failed a gender eligibility test during the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
“You Come For Her; You Come For All Of Us” – Burke
However, Executive Director of the NWSL Players Association Meghann Burke has called out Rowling on X describing her claims as personal insults “cloaked with racism and lies.”
“The lowest form of discourse is personal insult cloaked with racism and lies, on X no less. Barbra Banda is a proud member of @nwsl_players. She is the best of us. Just so we’re clear, @jk_rowling: you come for her, you come for all of us. Me first. Let’s go,” Burke posted on X.
Banda’s career has been fraught with controversy, primarily over her gender. She was left out of the Copper Queens’ WAFCON squad in 2022 when it was alleged that she failed a gender eligibility test due to high testosterone levels.
But FIFA and CAF confirmed to BolaNews last year that the player was not disqualified from participation in any of their competitions, and she went on to compete in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and Paris Olympics.
Banda was also part of the qualifiers for the 2024 WAFCON, which will be held in Morocco in July of next year.
READ MORE: Barbra Banda tipped to win CAF POTY by her former coach
