In recent years, online abuse targeting female athletes has escalated dramatically, posing significant risks to their well-being and professional careers. These disturbing trends underscore the urgent need for stronger protections for athletes, particularly female athletes, who are disproportionately impacted by such abuse. The situation highlights the growing importance of creating safer, more inclusive online spaces within the world of sports.
In recent years, online abuse targeting female athletes has escalated dramatically, posing significant risks to their well-being and professional careers. The Online Abuse in Sport Barometer 2025 paints a troubling picture, revealing that a staggering 50% of abuse directed at athletes is either misogynistic or racist in nature. This highlights a disturbing trend where women, particularly in sports, are subjected to harmful and prejudiced attacks simply due to their gender or racial background. The report also emphasises that 75% of sports federations have reported ongoing threats aimed not only at the athletes themselves but also at their families, further exacerbating the emotional toll and creating a hostile environment for those involved in the world of sports.
The problem is particularly pronounced during high-profile sporting events. For example, during the NCAA Tournament, women’s basketball players faced a staggering three times the number of threats compared to their male counterparts. Shockingly, 80% of these abusive messages were rooted in sexual, racist, or homophobic hate. These figures demonstrate the severe and targeted nature of the abuse, which is disproportionately directed at female athletes, underscoring the need for systemic change.
Similarly, at UEFA EURO 2024, the scale of online abuse was alarmingly high. During the group stages alone, over 9,000 abusive posts were flagged across social media platforms. Of these, nearly 73% were directed specifically at individual players, often targeting them with hate-filled, derogatory language. This not only damages the players' mental health and confidence but also tarnishes the integrity of the sport itself, as it creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation that discourages participation and healthy competition.
These disturbing trends underscore the urgent need for stronger protections for athletes, particularly female athletes, who are disproportionately impacted by such abuse. The situation highlights the growing importance of creating safer, more inclusive online spaces within the world of sports. This is where ICC and Freedom2hear come in, as their mission to establish a safer online environment for women’s cricket becomes even more essential. Through their collaborative efforts, they aim to protect athletes from online harm, provide better support systems, and promote a more respectful and empowering digital experience for women in sports.
The ICC Women’s T20 World Cups 2024/25 mark an exciting moment for women’s cricket, bringing together the best teams and players from around the world. But with the growing popularity of the sport, online toxicity and abuse have become significant challenges.
Players, officials, and teams are increasingly targeted on social media, facing misogynistic, racist, and hateful comments that impact their well-being and performance. Recognising this issue, the International Cricket Council (ICC) partnered with Freedom2hear to take a proactive approach to online safety. This initiative aims to reduce toxicity, protect participants, and create a more inclusive digital environment for fans and players alike.
The commitment focuses on safeguarding national teams, players, and officials across international women’s cricket tournaments. Efforts aim to reduce toxicity on social media while gaining deeper insights into the challenges facing women’s sports. Additionally, best-practice standards and education are being implemented to equip participants with the tools needed to navigate online abuse effectively.
This proactive approach ensures that as women’s cricket continues to rise, athletes can focus on the game—without the burden of digital harassment.
To effectively combat online abuse, Freedom2hear deployed its AI-powered moderation technology across key social media platforms. This system actively detects and removes harmful content before it can spread, ensuring that cricket conversations remain positive, inclusive, and respectful.
The numbers behind this initiative highlight the scale of the effort:
This large-scale monitoring helps players focus on their game without worrying about the mental toll of online abuse. By filtering out hateful comments, the program fosters a healthier digital space for women’s cricket.
While AI-driven moderation is a crucial tool in fighting online abuse, education and empowerment are equally important. ICC and Freedom2hear have worked together to train teams, players, and officials on best practices for managing their online presence.
A key element of this initiative is the delivery of comprehensive, hands-on support designed to empower athletes with the knowledge, tools, and assistance they need to navigate the digital space safely. This approach goes beyond AI moderation—it integrates human-led support, safeguarding measures, and round-the-clock assistance to ensure players feel protected both online and offline.
Training and support are provided through a mix of virtual and in-person sessions, ensuring accessibility and adaptability to different circumstances. Whether working with professional teams, youth squads, or athletes across different sports sectors, our methodology is tailored to address the unique challenges faced at various levels of competition. From the heightened public scrutiny faced by elite players to the specific safeguarding needs of youth teams, and even the distinct digital threats in different sports, we recognise that no one-size-fits-all solution exists. By customising our approach, we ensure that every athlete, regardless of their age, discipline, or exposure, has the right protection and tools to thrive in the digital space.
✔️ Understanding online abuse
Athletes learn to recognise and mitigate online harassment, including cyberbullying, trolling, doxxing, and hate speech. Research-backed safeguarding measures provide structured protection, especially for younger athletes.
✔️ Managing social media & Digital Presence
Practical training covers privacy settings, content moderation, and strategies to build a safe, positive digital footprint while effectively handling negative interactions.
✔️ Support & Crisis Management
Athletes receive one-on-one support for urgent concerns, from reporting threats to managing high-risk situations.
✔️ Mental Well-being & Resilience
Sessions focus on stress management, emotional resilience, and maintaining a healthy online-offline balance, ensuring athletes can navigate digital challenges confidently.
✔️ Reporting & Response Protocols
Athletes are trained on reporting abuse, engaging with authorities, documenting incidents, and responding professionally to minimise harm.
By combining AI-driven protection with direct human support, this initiative empowers athletes across all levels and sports, setting a new standard for digital safety in the sporting world.
Benchmarking plays a crucial role in the fight against online abuse, particularly when addressing the complexities of misogynistic content. As harmful language and tactics evolve, so too must the strategies used to combat them. The ICC and Freedom2Hear are committed to continuously refining their approach by analysing trends, language patterns, and the effectiveness of moderation efforts.
By evaluating real-time data, athletes can identify emerging threats and adapt AI moderation tools to detect even the most subtle forms of misogyny. This ongoing assessment ensures that content moderation efforts are making a tangible impact in reducing harmful interactions. More importantly, it provides valuable insights that shape long-term strategies, allowing best-practice education programs to evolve alongside the challenges athletes face online.
Through this data-driven approach, the initiative is not just responding to abuse—it is actively shaping a safer, more inclusive digital space for women in sport.
This initiative isn’t just about protecting players—it’s about setting a new standard for digital safety in sports. As women’s sport grows, so does the need to ensure that players can engage online without facing harassment. ICC and Freedom2hear have taken a data-driven approach, analysing trends in online abuse to develop targeted interventions that address the unique challenges faced by female athletes.
Beyond moderation, the project provides comprehensive support, equipping teams and players with the latest tools and training to navigate their digital presence safely. From managing accounts to handling online abuse, athletes are empowered to take control of their online experience.
At its core, this initiative is driving long-term policy change. ICC’s commitment to combatting online abuse goes beyond reactive measures—it’s about shaping a lasting culture of digital safety in women’s cricket, ensuring the sport remains a safe and inclusive space for all.
Freedom2hear’s collaboration with women’s sports organisations marks a significant step in curbing online abuse and fostering a safer, more inclusive digital environment for female athletes. By leveraging advanced AI-powered moderation tools, this initiative goes beyond reactive measures, setting a proactive standard for protecting athletes in the digital age.
This initiative is more than just a short-term solution. It represents a fundamental shift in how women’s sports are protected in the digital space.
With growing media attention on women’s sport, it’s essential to ensure that players can engage with fans, celebrate their achievements, and promote the sport without fear of online harassment.
This program sets a new global benchmark for how governing bodies can use technology, education, and policy to create safer online environments for athletes.
Women’s sport is reaching new heights, and ensuring a positive digital space is a crucial part of its continued growth.
By working together, we can create an online environment where players thrive, fans engage respectfully, and the sport continues to flourish.
Want to learn more about how we’re making a difference? Visit www.freedom2hear.com.
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