24/04/2026
Safeguarding in sport does not stop at the edge of the field, court, track or pool.
It extends into the digital spaces where athletes live, work, build visibility and, increasingly, face harm.
SSI’s recent paper, Safeguarding in Sport: Online Abuse of Athletes, makes clear that online abuse is not a marginal issue. It is multifaceted, fast-evolving and deeply harmful. It can include discriminatory abuse, misinformation, threats of physical and sexual violence, stalking, doxxing and coordinated pile-on attacks. It can also have serious consequences for mental health, confidence, wellbeing, performance and long-term participation in sport.
The paper also challenges a response that is still too common: telling athletes to simply step away from social media.
For many athletes, that is not realistic. Online presence is often tied to visibility, sponsorship, funding and career progression. The issue is not whether athletes should be online. The issue is how sport better protects them while they are.
That means treating online harm as part of safeguarding, not separate from it.
If sport is serious about athlete welfare, then digital safety, reporting pathways, education, moderation, support and accountability all need to be part of the conversation.
SSI’s paper sets out why this matters now and highlights practical, athlete-centred approaches that sport organisations can take.
Read the paper here:
https://www.safesportinternational.com/2026/01/safeguarding-in-sport-report-into-the-online-abuse-of-athletes/
Hikabwa D Chipande@followers
