The NWSL is investigating "hateful language" hurled against Barbra Banda, star of the defending league champion Orlando Pride, during their match Sunday.
The reported taunts and abuse sent Banda's way during the Pride's match at Gotham FC stem from allegations that she is transgender, which she is not. Though the Zambian star was forced to sit out a major tournament in 2022, her absence was because of a botched test and mishandling by officials. The 25-year-old is cisgender: She was assigned female at birth.
That hasn't stopped people such as author J.K. Rowling from sending racist and transphobic attacks her way in the years since, much like it didn't stop vitriol from flying at Olympic gold-medal boxer Imane Khelif of Algeria. Trans athletes (or people suspected of being trans) competing in women's sports has become a lightning rod of political policy, even as studies show being transgender doesn't lead to much, if any, advantage in sports. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would bar trans girls and women from participating on school sports teams that correspond with their preferred gender identity, even though NCAA President Charlie Baker said there are "less than 10" such athletes among more than 500,000 college athletes across the country.
Here's what to know about the situation involving Banda and her background:
Who is Barbra Banda?
Barbra Banda is a 25-year-old striker from Zambia who came to the Orlando Pride on a $740,000 transfer fee, the second-highest in NWSL history, and signed a four-year deal worth about $2.1 million. She scored 17 goals in 25 games over her first season with the Orlando Pride, second in the league behind Temwa Chawinga's 21 with Kansas City. Banda also tied Angel City's Alyssa Thompson for second with seven assists.
Behind her and Brazilian superstar Marta, the Pride raced to NWSL records for wins (18) and points (60) in a season. She scored four goals in the Pride's three playoff games, including the only goal in the NWSL championship game, earning Championship MVP honors in the process. BBC named her Women's Footballer of the Year, and she was a finalist for the Ballon d'Or, the top honor in global soccer.
Banda is also a groundbreaker on the international stage. She scored three hat tricks for Zambia over the past two Olympics, the first woman to do so. She also scored in Zambia's first-ever Women's World Cup win in 2023.
What happened to Barbra Banda?
In a game Sunday, March 23 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, security responded to an incident involving fans shouting "hateful language" at Barbra Banda. Gotham FC said in a news release that security "directly addressed the individual, monitoring the situation for the remainder of the match."
A Reddit post from someone near the incident said several fans were hurling racist and transphobic insults toward Banda. "One fan got pulled aside by security after he cheered for Banda falling down and yelled 'she shouldn't be on the field anyway!' I was gratified to see security speak to him, but all he got was a warning," the poster said, adding that Gotham FC officials reached out and spoke with them after the post went viral.
The chants stem from Banda being forced to sit out the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations because of mishandled paperwork regarding "gender eligibility" testing. Why she was disqualified is unclear: Banda was identified as female at birth and was eligible to compete in the Olympics the previous year. Zambian officials at the time said Banda had failed FIFA "gender verification" tests, but African soccer's governing body said that was not the case.
Her eligibility issues resembled that of Imane Khelif, a boxer from Algeria who won a gold medal in the 2024 Olympics. After an opponent pulled out of her match after taking one punch from Khelif, many people came out with false claims that Khelif was male or trans. Khelif was born female, and being transgender in Algeria is illegal, but that didn't stop people from claiming that she was ruining women's sports.
Banda was again ruled eligible to compete in time for the 2023 Women's World Cup.
Orlando Pride, Gotham FC, NWSL respond to Barbra Banda chants
Both teams and the NWSL put out statements late Monday afternoon about the incident. The league said it was investigating the reports of the "hateful language" against Banda and that it would look into taking further action as laid out in the Fan Code of Conduct.
"We are committed to ensuring that our venues are safe and respectful environments for all — especially for the athletes who represent the very best of our sport," the NWSL said in a social media post. "Barbra Banda is both an exceptional player and person, and the NWSL is immensely proud to support her as a member of the league."
"Barbra is an outstanding role model and an influential advocate for soccer both in Africa and here in the United States," the Pride said in a release. "We look forward to continuing to celebrate her on and off the pitch."
Gotham FC said: "We are united in our message with the NWSL and the Orlando Pride: This behavior is unacceptable and has no place in our league or in our stadiums."
What did JK Rowling say about Barbra Banda?
After winning the 2024 BBC Women's Footballer of the Year, Banda was subjected to racist and transphobic abuse online (even though she is cisgender). One of the biggest voices coming out against Banda was author J.K. Rowling, who has been a prominent anti-trans voice on social media. She said the BBC was "spitting in women's faces" in giving Banda the honor. (Again, Banda is cisgender, meaning she has been a woman since birth.)
Rowling's comments set off a fresh torrent of abuse toward Banda. Several players came to the defense of Banda, as did Meghann Burke, executive director of the NWSL Players Association. "The lowest form of discourse is personal insult cloaked with racism and lies, on X no less," Burke posted in November. "Barbra Banda is a proud member of (the NWSL Players Association). She is the best of us. Just so we’re clear, J.K. Rowling: you come for her, you come for all of us. Me first. Let’s go."
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Barbra Banda subjected to 'hateful' abuse. NWSL investigating
