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The FIA’s (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) United Against Online Abuse (UAOA) campaign has secured €400,000 in funding to address the growing issue of online abuse in sports. The funds were provided by the European Union’s (EU) Erasmus+ Programme and will enable UAOA to expand its project to FIA Member Clubs from six EU countries. Running from January 2025 to January 2027, the augmented campaign will increase efforts to foster a safer and more inclusive digital space for athletes, officials and fans.
Supported by the FIA Foundation, UAOA is a collaborative mission between national governments, regulatory institutions, technology platforms and sporting bodies to build a global coalition to tackle online hate within the sport ecosystem. Since 2023, the campaign has conducted and published research, run international awareness campaigns and built a growing international coalition focused on legal prosecutions and supporting victims.
In December 2024, UAOA released the first Sports Journalist Barometer, which shed light on the scale of online abuse faced by sports journalists globally. The second edition of the report, focusing on the impact of abuse on athletes, will be released in 2025.
“Sport unites people, and the online space should reflect these values of integrity and inclusion. By addressing online harm through innovation and collaboration, we can uphold these principles,” said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who founded the UAOA initiative.
With an impressive score of 87 out of 100, the UAOA’s proposal stood out as one of the most impactful and well-structured efforts to combat online hate and harassment within the sporting world. The team will use the additional funding to implement several critical initiatives:
- Research and Education – The campaign will conduct research in multiple EU languages, launching a widespread awareness campaign about online abuse in sport. It will also create educational resources, including a micro-credential in online safety.
- Safeguarding and Capacity Building – A critical incident framework will be developed to help sports organizations handle online abuse. Additionally, stakeholders will receive specialized training to better address and prevent online harm.
- Technology-Driven Solutions – The project will integrate artificial intelligence (AI) to target social media interventions, developing digital tools designed to prevent and address abuse in real time.
- Inclusivity and Collaboration – Efforts will be made to protect vulnerable groups within the sporting community. The UAOA will also work alongside governments, NGOs, and sports federations to drive meaningful, long-term systemic change in the digital landscape of sport.
By working with sports federations, national governments, regulatory bodies and tech platforms, the initiative aims to drive both regulatory and behavioral changes in tackling online harassment and hate speech. UAOA is now ready to expand its efforts across Europe, delivering research, education and collaboration to foster an online environment where “respect, safety and inclusivity thrive,” representing significant milestone in the campaign’s journey.
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