International sporting federations including the FIA, FIM, FIFA, UCI, ITF, World Athletics, World Netball, International Esports Federation have combined for new research as part of the global United Against Online Abuse campaign.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Founding Partner of UAOA and President of the FIA, said: “Online abuse is a persistent issue within the sporting world. A number of international federations have voiced their concerns via our barometer survey and in regular discussions we have held since the campaign launch in 2022. The survey findings highlight the importance of united anti-abuse efforts across sporting ecosystems and beyond.”
Professor David Hassan, Principal Investigator for the UAOA Research Study, said: “This research provides us with a baseline for our work going forward. Now that we have established the extent of the problem across sporting federations, we are well placed to address this issue and tackle its root causes, alongside other researchers, governments, and campaign groups.”
The survey responses paint a clear image of a challenging and aggressive social media environment. Three quarters of federations said that sports stars regularly face threats of harm against themselves or their families, with 90% saying that this is likely to lead to them quitting the sport.
Coalition members have been united in their desire to join forces to rid sport of online abuse. Several members reiterated that commitment in their responses to the UAOA barometer survey. Coalition members will meet to discuss next steps at a Conference in Paris this May.
The full barometer survey findings can be found here.
