The boss of the communications regulator fears sport will lose out on female stars because of online abuse - and is urging social media companies to adopt recommendations to clean up their platforms.

Ofcom has asked the likes of Elon Musk's X and Meta-owned Instagram to offer greater protections particularly to stop misogynistic abuse and coordinated pile-ons.

"It's really important here that the tech companies step up," Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes told Sky News.

It follows a year when female athletes have spoken out against the hatred messaged to them on social platforms.

After winning the Euros, England star Jess Carter revealed she has questioned whether she would have "the courage to go back on the pitch and play again" due to the abuse received during the

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