UAOA Day

From a shared message to a global movement

On 7 July 2026, the sporting community came together for the inaugural edition  of UAOA Day.

The first campaign transformed a clear message into visible collective action,  combining global digital mobilisation, stakeholder engagement, and a major  trackside activation during the FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix.

Organisations, experts and individuals across countries, sporting disciplines and  sectors used their platforms to raise awareness, share experiences and demonstrate  their commitment to safer online spaces.

The campaign brought together a broad coalition of organisations and individuals  from across motorsport and beyond.

Alongside the Erasmus+ partner motor clubs and a wider network of leading clubs  across Europe, the campaign connected organisations across continents, including  those in the Bahamas, Mexico, South Africa, Seychelles and Bangladesh, reflecting  the truly global scale of the movement.

A number of prominent voices from the motorsport community also helped amplify  its message. These included Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing; Mariana Gertum

Becker, International broadcaster; and Carol Armstrong, International Motorsport  Official and Marshal at Motorsport Australia, among many others.

Support extended well beyond motorsport, with a wide range of internationally  recognised sports organisations contributing to the campaign. These included  Peace and Sport, the World DanceSport Federation, the International Skating  Union, the World Air Sports Federation, the Association of IOC Recognised  International Sports Federations, the International Federation for Sports  Officials, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, Paris Basketball and the French National Olympic and Sports Committee.

Digital-safety and technology specialists also contributed valuable expertise.  Organisations including Nisien.AI, Appeals Centre Europe and TrollWall AI helped highlight the role that technology, effective policies and practical tools can  play in delivering concrete and actionable responses to online abuse.

Overall, till the time of this publication, a total of more than 65 different  organizations across the globe supported the campaign and stood with FIA United  Against Online Abuse. This diversity of participation reflected the central ambition  of UAOA Day: to unite the entire sporting ecosystem around a challenge that no  organisation, discipline or individual can address alone.

Turning support into action 

To make participation accessible and help organisations translate awareness into  meaningful action, UAOA developed a comprehensive Practical Toolkit for the  sporting community.

The toolkit included:

• official UAOA Day branding and visual assets;
• adaptable social media templates;
• suggested campaign messages and captions;
• guidance for organisations, clubs and individuals;
• multilingual campaign materials;
• practical resources supporting continued engagement beyond UAOA Day.

Designed for use across sports, countries and organisational contexts, the toolkit  enabled stakeholders to take part in the campaign while adapting its message to  their own communities and audiences.

It remains available as an open resource for organisations seeking to raise  awareness, and support future UAOA initiatives throughout the year.

[DOWNLOAD THE PRACTICAL TOOLKIT]

Taking the campaign to the heart of global  motorsport 

The 2026 FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone provided the central stage  for the inaugural UAOA Day campaign.

At one of the world’s most visible and influential sporting events, the campaign  brought its message directly into the Formula 1 paddock, connecting its global  digital reach with the athletes, leaders, teams, officials, media and institutions  operating at the highest level of motorsport.

UAOA Day branding was integrated throughout key areas of the FIA operational  environment and the Silverstone paddock, including:

• FIA Motorhomes;
• FIA Mobile Offices;
• Parc Fermé branding;
• campaign roll-up;
• wristbands and pins;
• prominent spaces encountered by teams, officials, media and guests  throughout the race weekend.

Leadership, experience and a shared responsibility to act 

The Silverstone activation also served as the production hub for the campaign’s principal  video series.

Throughout the race weekend, leading figures from Formula 1, motorsport leadership,  international media and the wider sporting community shared their perspectives on  online abuse, its human consequences and the collective responsibility to challenge it.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem 

President of the FIA 

The FIA President launched the campaign with a clear call for unity, leadership and  accountability across sport.

Drawing attention to the real-world harm caused by online abuse, he emphasised the  responsibility of sporting institutions to protect athletes, officials, volunteers, fans and  everyone contributing to the sporting community.

Kimi Antonelli 

Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team Driver 

As one of Formula 1’s emerging talents, Kimi Antonelli reflected on the importance of  trusted support systems and of not allowing anonymous online voices to shape an  athlete’s confidence or identity.

His message to young people was direct: listen to those who genuinely know and support  you, and use social media to contribute positively rather than amplify hostility.

Fernando Alonso 

Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team Driver 

Fernando Alonso focused on the importance of respect beyond sporting rivalry.

He underlined that supporting different teams, drivers or colours can never justify  personal attacks, and that every person involved in sport deserves dignity, regardless of  allegiance. Competition should strengthen sport, not divide the people within it.

Esteban Ocon 

TGR Haas F1 Team Driver 

Esteban Ocon challenged the normalisation of online abuse in elite sport.

He stressed that harassment should never be accepted as an inevitable part of being an  athlete or public figure, and that its psychological consequences must be taken  seriously.

His intervention reflected one of the campaign’s core principles: visibility does not  remove an individual’s right to safety, dignity and respect.

Zak Brown 

Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Racing 

Zak Brown addressed the responsibility of sporting leadership and the need for unity  across the industry.

He emphasised that athletes, employees, officials and team members are people giving  their best to sport and should never be subjected to harassment simply for doing their  jobs.

Natalie Pinkham 

Sky Sports F1 Presenter 

Natalie Pinkham focused on the human impact behind every abusive comment.

She challenged the assumption that online messages disappear without consequence,  reminding audiences that abuse reaches real people, their families and those around  them.

Her contribution brought the campaign back to a simple but essential truth: there is  always a person on the receiving end.

Yevan David 

AIX Racing Formula 3 driver 

Yevan David emphasised the importance of awareness, empathy and collective action  in addressing online abuse.

He encouraged audiences to consider the human impact of abusive messages by putting  themselves in an athlete’s position, while reminding those affected that support is  available and that they are not alone.

Toni Cowan-Brown 

Tech and F1 commentator 

Toni Cowan-Brown drew a clear distinction between sporting opinion and prejudice.

While defending open discussion and debate, she made clear that attacks targeting an  individual’s gender, race, identity or way of speaking cannot be dismissed as legitimate  criticism.

A campaign built around collective action 

The Silverstone interview series formed part of a broader package of original  campaign content, including:

• the UAOA Day hero launch film;
• the UAOA Day campaign video;
• the official UAOA Day campaign teaser;
• campaign photography;
• coordinated content published by participating organisations and partners.

Together, these assets allowed the campaign to examine online abuse from  multiple perspectives, including leadership, athlete welfare, lived experience,  journalism, discrimination, youth participation, and institutional responsibility.

Rather than speaking on behalf of those affected, UAOA Day created a platform for  individuals to speak directly, in their own words and from their own experience.

[WATCH THE UAOA DAY CAMPAIGN TEASER]

UAOA Day takes place annually in July. Click here for a concise summary of all key UAOA Day information and how you can join the campaign in future.

But the work does not end here!

We welcome new long-term partnerships through the signatory of our charter indicating a commitment to our shared ambition. To enquire about partnering with the campaign, please get in touch with: Erin Bourke, Program Lead, at ebourke consultant@fia.com.

To learn more about online abuse, UAOA’s free Online Abuse in Sport module, developed in collaboration with Dublin City University and endorsed by the UAOA Coalition, provides an introduction to the growing digital threat across sport. Access the module here.

To express your interest in our webinar series, either as a guest speaker or an attendee, please contact gary.sinclair@dcu.ie and millie.beaton@unitedagainstonlineabuse.com.

Follow UAOA Day and the wider work of United Against Online Abuse through:

• UAOA LinkedIn;
• FIA Website;
• FIA Instagram;
• FIA President Instagram;
• Participating partner organizations.

Use the official campaign hashtags when sharing your support:

#UAOADay

#UnitedAgainstOnlineAbuse

#WordsMatterInSport

For questions or requests relating to UAOA Day, please contact:

Visual identity and campaign assets

Ella Hirsbunner

ehirsbunner-consultant@fia.com

UAOA project enquiries

Erin Bourke

uaoa@fia.com