Zambian footballer Barbra Banda has received a barrage of abuse on social media after winning the BBC’s Women’s Footballer of the Year award.

Banda, a prolific goalscorer for US team Orlando Pride, was surprised with the award during a team meeting. Her teammates cheered and applauded while Banda said she was “shocked and surprised” to receive the accolade. “To the young girl in Africa dreaming big,” she tweeted, “keep that dream and work hard, am telling you it does come true.”

But she was on the receiving end of abuse with hundreds of comments accusing her of being “a man” and “cheating” other female athletes out of the prize.

The accusations stem from reports two years ago that the Zambian football federation (Faz) withdrew Banda from its squad for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) in Morocco over concerns that she would fail a gender verification test, as mandated by the Confederation of African Football (Caf).

Although it was later established that she never took such a test, the president of the Zambian federation, Andrew Kamanga, said at the time: “All players had to undergo gender verification, a Caf requirement, and unfortunately she did not meet the criteria set by Caf.”

It has since been widely reported that Banda’s natural testosterone levels were above the Caf’s maximum allowance, and that she rejected hormone suppression drugs due to concerns about the potential side effects.

Banda’s agent, Anton Maksimov, clarified at the time that she was never “banned” from competing at Wafcon, and that she had not undergone any gender verification testing before the competition.

“The decision not to currently feature Barbra at the tournament is Faz’s internal decision based on their own evaluation of her physical conditions before coming to Morocco,” he said. “I reiterate that nothing, no existing regulations that we are aware of, prevents Barbra’s participation in the Wafcon 2022. Barbra has not failed any medical tests in this regard either.”

But despite the lack of evidence of wrongdoing, and despite Banda continuing her career in peace in the US, she has received waves of insults, much of which has focused on her appearance.

The BBC has also come in for major criticism despite having no role in choosing Banda as its winner. The award’s shortlist was decided by a panel of independent football experts, and the winner was then selected by public vote.

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The former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies posted: “It’s so sad the BBC are actively encouraging the destruction & loss of opportunities for female athletes in sport. I’m so disheartened & disappointed they are actively cheering this unfairness on.”

The author JK Rowling tweeted: “Presumably the BBC decided this was more time efficient than going door to door to spit directly in women’s faces.”

The BBC said in a statement: “As well as playing in the past two Olympic Games and the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup, Barbra Banda plays for the Zambian national women’s team and in the USA for Orlando Pride making her fully eligible for the award which celebrates talent in women’s football.

“The five-player shortlist was decided by an expert panel made up of current and former professionals, coaches and journalists based on performances in the last twelve months, with the winner voted for by the public.”

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