Events

Dublin City University: Online Harms in Sport Symposium

In March 2025 UAOA was pleased to participate in a symposium on online harms in sports hosted by Dublin City University. UAOA presented an overview of the campaign and upcoming projects to researchers and stakeholders present. The symposium is hosted by DCU, a principal investigator of the UK-Ireland Collaboration in Digital Humanities 3-year grant on Tackling Online Hate in Football and academic partner on wider online abuse in sport projects with Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile and the United Against Online Abuse coalition. The aim of the symposium was to bring together stakeholders from academia, sporting institutions, industry, and civil society.

Peace and Sport are an independent organisation which promotes peace using the power of sport. The Annual Forum, held in Monaco over 2nd – 3rd December 2024, included keynote speeches and a series of awards presented to individuals and organisations that have made remarkable efforts towards promoting peace, social stability, and dialogue through sports.

Coalition for Peace Award

During the Peace and Sport Award Ceremony, the FIA was announced as the winner of the Coalition for Peace Award in recognition of its pioneering efforts to combat online abuse in sport. This award celebrates UAOA’s achievements in uniting sports federations, national governments, and technology platforms to address this critical issue.

After accepting the award, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said:

“I am incredibly proud of the rapid progress that United Against Online Abuse has made since I founded the campaign just two years ago. This prestigious award recognises the significant collaborative efforts already undertaken by the coalition to effectively research and address the harmful impact of online abuse that is adversely affecting the entire sporting landscape”

Leader’s Vision

During the 2024 Peace and Sport Forum, the FIA President participated in the Leaders’ Vision session, moderated by Champion for Peace Paula Radcliffe. The session provided a platform for the President to share his vision for harnessing sport as a catalyst for unity, inclusion, and positive change.

Highlighting the successes of the UAOA campaign, he emphasised its achievements in successfully uniting 27 international organisations to combat online abuse and foster safer online environments for all.

The President reiterated the FIA’s commitment to accessibility and diversity and called for collective action across sports, governments, and regulators to tackle challenges like online abuse, noting, “When we speak with one voice, we are more powerful. Together, we can create real change.” 

Meeting with H.S.H. Crown Prince Albert II of Monaco

Alongside the forum, President Mohammed Ben Sulayem also met with H.S.H. Crown Prince Albert II of Monaco.

During their productive meeting they discussed the FIA’s commitment to leveraging sport as a tool for positive change. His Serene Highness, a longstanding advocate for peace through sport, commended the FIA’s efforts and the success of the UAOA campaign.

Peace Walk

Ahead of the awards, Champions for Peace, athletes, and advocates of Peace & Sport gathered together for a Peace Walk. Led by H.S.H. Prince Albert II alongside FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, and Peace & Sport Founder Joël Bouzou, it symbolised solidarity and commitment to promoting dialogue and social inclusion through sport.

The 14th annual Peace Walk is a powerful reminder of the unifying role sport can play in society uniting individuals who share a vision of peace, unity and equality.

The FIA’s active participation at the Peace and Sport Forum 2024 underscores its leadership in using sport as a force for good, fostering peace and inclusion both on and off the field.

UAOA Conference May 2024

United Against Online Abuse held its inaugural conference in Paris on 29th May 2024. The landmark event brought together key voices from across the sports, governmental, and tech sectors and facilitated collaborative discussions on the solutions to combat online abuse across the sporting ecosystem.

The conference featured high-profile speakers from FIFA, World Rugby, ITF, UNESCO, Peace and Sport, including FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who underscored the necessity of cross-sector collaboration to foster a safer, more inclusive sporting environment.

Through workshops, panels, and expert-led sessions, attendees explored actionable strategies to curb online harassment and drive policy change. The Paris conference has set a strong foundation for ongoing efforts, reinforcing UAOA’s role as a global leader in tackling online abuse in sports.

Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, French Government Minister for Sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games of France, sent a message of support to start the conference, stating: “Performance [in sport] cannot be at any price. The well-being of the athletes, their development, and their serenity as human beings… must be a priority. That is why my ministry has signed the United Against Online Abuse charter.”

Guests heard firsthand the experiences of top athletes, including Olympian and Taekwondo Champion Pascal Gentil, and Rally Driver Burcu Çetinkaya.

Burcu, Top Rally Driver and FIA Women in Motorsport Commission Chair, shared her experiences as a survivor of online abuse and spoke bravely about the impact it had on her, and the journey she had made to return to rallying.

Arwen.AI, a cutting-edge company using artificial intelligence to automatically detect and remove online hate from social platforms, presented eye-opening data regarding the extent of online abuse and the impact their tools are making. Their findings highlighted that 67% of social media users are less likely to engage with online content if they feel unsafe. Removing hate comments saw a 56% uplift in engagement on social posts.

This data follows the UAOA’s groundbreaking findings from the barometer survey launched earlier this year. The survey found that 75% of athletes have reported threats against their physical safety, whilst over 90% agreed that if online abuse is not addressed, it will drive them away from their sports.

Throughout the conference, education was highlighted as a key factor in the eradication of online abuse – not only in how to react and report if affected, but also in educating perpetrators to recognise the human impact of their hate. Leading the way, UAOA launched the United Against Online Abuse Educational Module.

A free, open access programme designed to upskill communities and help develop the understanding of online abuse in sport, the impact it has, and the challenges that are faced. The module explains the role of policy makers, international federations, and social platforms whilst sharing steps that can be taken to prevent and fight abuse.

FIA President and founder of the UAOA campaign, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, said: “This conference was an opportunity for leaders and experts to come together and collaborate on our united mission to combat online abuse.”
“I thank all who have pledged their support for this coalition and urge the wider global community to come together and join us in this important fight.”

Clark Hill LLP: UAOA – July 2024

The online abuse of athletes at all levels and disciplines has reached disturbing levels, according to speakers at the United Against Online Abuse (UAOA) in Sport Coalition Forum held in Dublin yesterday, Tuesday, July 16th. The forum, hosted by international law firm Clark Hill LLP in collaboration with the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), founders of the UAOA coalition, highlighted the growing epidemic of online hate speech targeting athletes.

Chaired by the ‘Off the Ball’ presenter Ger Gilroy, the forum featured prominent Irish sports stars Jenny Claffey (Ireland Padel & former Ireland Tennis player), Leah Tarpey (Leinster & Ireland Rugby player), and Tom Parsons (Chief Executive of the Gaelic Players Association and former Mayo county player). Clark Hill is the legal advisor to the UAOA coalition.

The conference spotlighted UAOA’s latest research findings in partnership with Dublin City University whilst providing a platform for dialogue on effective solutions. Among the highlights was a discussion on establishing a “Trusted Flagger” entity under EU law to expedite the removal of harmful online content targeting athletes and sports professionals. The Dublin conference not only strengthened UAOA’s research-backed approach but also laid the groundwork for lasting regulatory change, reinforcing the coalition’s commitment to fostering safe and inclusive sports environments worldwide.

Kirby Tarrant, Partner In Charge at Clark Hill, emphasised the importance of the initiative: “Online abuse in sports is not just a problem for athletes and teams, it impacts sponsors, fans, and the sports community as a whole. Clark Hill is proud to be part of the United Against Online Abuse (UAOA) coalition with the FIA. This initiative is part of our ongoing effort to provide meaningful solutions and foster a safer online environment in the sports community.”

In April 2023, FIA United Against Online Abuse (UAOA) Project Leader Erin Bourke, joined with athletes, sporting personalities, and industry leaders at Athletes Game On for Peace, an international dialogue organised by UNESCO and Peace And Sport to celebrate the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (6 April).

The unique symposium was organised to showcase the role of athletes and sporting bodies in promoting peace and sustainable development, on and off the sporting circuit. World renowned athletes took to the floor to share their personal stories, including footballer and Vice President of Peace and Sport Didier Drogba, Head of Mission for the 2024 Refugee Olympic Team Masomah Ali Zada, and international rugby player Siya Kolisi.

Representing the FIA and discussing the crucial work of the UAOA campaign, Erin highlighted the role of sporting bodies and social media companies to protect athletes in the face of the widespread abuse that many now face on their platforms, alongside the importance of building a coalition to better understand the issues at hand and fight them more effectively together. The FIA UAOA campaign is a collaborative mission between national governments, regulatory institutions, and sporting bodies with the objective of building a global coalition to tackle online abuse within the sport ecosystem.

We’d like to thank our long-term coalition partners Peace and Sport for inviting UAOA to speak at this vital symposium in collaboration with UNESCO.

As a complimentary service to all International Sport Federations housed at the MSI and within Lausanne, the Olympic Capital organises a series of eight seminars directed at the different departments/activities within International Sport Federations.

UAOA’s Project Lead, Erin Bourke presented a key note at the IF Seminar dedicated to Mental Health in Sport on the 24th September 2024.

Erin presented the critical findings of the first-ever industry-wide barometer survey on online abuse in sport. This groundbreaking research, conducted by the United Against Online Abuse campaign, reveals the extent to which online abuse is impacting the mental health and well-being of athletes.

Hosted by the International Esports Federation, one of UAOA’s first coalition members, Project Lead – Erin Bourke joined their “Press Start for a Strong Mind” panel at the 8th World Esports Summit.

In the intervention, the panel discussed the impact of online abuse and toxicity in sport. In particular highlighting:

• The importance of educational workshops for behavioural change
• How federations can contribute to structural change
• How can we engage fans in the campaign by leveraging psychological principles, both traditional and social-media focused

UAOA at Peace and Sport Forum

October 2023

UAOA at WiMENA Conference – 2023