Fury as Scorchers goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo targeted by body-shaming trolls after Zambia defeat

A Malawian social media  commentator has spoken out against a wave of cruel body-shaming aimed at Scorchers goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo, after the player came under fire online following mistakes in the team’s 2-1 defeat to Zambia at WAFCON.

Sarah Munthali added her voice to mounting criticism of the online abuse, saying she was left heartbroken after reading comments mocking Sikelo’s weight rather than her performance on the pitch.

Describing herself as a fellow ‘duntu’ – a term used affectionately for larger-bodied women – Munthali said she understood all too well the pain of being reduced to nothing more than one’s size.

‘The jokes may seem harmless to some, but they leave scars that people carry for years,’ she wrote.

Munthali insisted there was nothing wrong with criticising Sikelo’s goalkeeping if warranted, but drew a firm line between fair football analysis and outright cruelty.

‘If Mercy made mistakes on the pitch, then talk about the game,’ she said. ‘Criticise her goalkeeping if you must. That’s part of football. But mocking her weight is not analysis – it’s bullying.’

She urged critics to consider the human being behind the abuse, pointing out that Sikelo had earned her place as the Scorchers’ first-choice goalkeeper through years of hard work and sacrifice – achievements she said should not be erased by one difficult match.

‘Imagine giving everything to represent your country, only to go online and find thousands of strangers laughing at your body instead of discussing your performance,’ she wrote. ‘No one deserves that.’

Munthali closed her message with a plea for greater compassion from fans, reminding trolls that Sikelo has feelings, a family – and very likely reads the comments herself.

‘Before you type another cruel comment, remember there is a human being behind that jersey,’ she wrote. ‘Let’s do better. Let’s be kinder.’