The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, hosted the United Against Online Abuse (UAOA) Coalition for its second quarterly convening on Tuesday 11 August, where it announced the launch of the UAOA International Research Network (UAOA IRN) as part of its efforts to coordinate the gathering and use of data across the online abuse in sport ecosystem.
Hosted by DCU Institute for Business & Society and supported by the FIA Foundation, the UAOA IRN is strategically positioned to connect global researchers and partners from across sport, technology, governing bodies and beyond to align on a collective research agenda, accelerate outputs, and encourage evidence-sharing for meaningful action.
Delivered through the UAOA IRN, which builds on DCU Institute for Business & Society’s research expertise and network in online harms in sport, the FIA will commission targeted research reports, a programme of webinars, and an annual academic conference on online harms.
President of the FIA and UAOA Founder, H.E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, declared: “I am proud to announce the launch of this new network which will unite experts, expand knowledge, and guide our collective efforts. Every single person representing sport, tech, and academia is important for this mission. Together, through the UAOA coalition, we are building a safer digital environment for all.”
Dr Gary Sinclair, Chair of the UAOA International Research Network, Dublin City University said: “We are very excited to launch the UAOA International Research Network which marks a landmark next step in the fight against online abuse in sport. The UAOA IRN, hosted by DCU, not only allows us to continue these critical discussions but deepen our collaboration in developing a deeper understanding of the issue and provide effective, evidence-based solutions.”
Building on the momentum of the Spring Convening in June, the UAOA Summer Convening also saw an agreement to establish cross-sector working groups, under the UAOA IRN, to explore a range of under-researched areas. These included the impact of online abuse on Sport Officials, particularly at grassroots and community level, and Sports Fans, as both perpetrators and victims.
The discussion further emphasised the UAOA Coalition’s advocacy for policy development, with a focus on contributing to datasets to inform systemic change.
To express your interest in contributing to a working group, or to join the UAOA IRN, please contact uaoa@fia.com.
About the United Against Online Abuse (UAOA) coalition:
Founded in 2023 by H.E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, the United Against Online Abuse (UAOA) coalition is an award-winning global initiative dedicated to combatting online abuse in sport through research, policy advocacy, and collaborative action. UAOA is endorsed by more than 75 governments, sports, academic institutions and technology organisations, and is supported by the FIA Foundation and co-funded by the European Union.
About the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA)
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) is the governing body for world motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations globally. It is a non-profit organisation committed to driving innovation and championing safety, sustainability and equality across motor sport and mobility.
Founded in 1904, with offices in Paris, London and Geneva, the FIA brings together 246 Member Organisations across five continents, representing millions of road users, motor sport professionals and volunteers. It develops and enforces regulations for motor sport, including six FIA World Championships, to ensure worldwide competitions are safe and fair for all.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
