Australia’s independent regulator for online safety has launched a new resource to halt online harassment in sports, signalling that the same rules against offline abuse need to be applied online.
Types of online abuse in sports include behaviour that uses digital technology to threaten, intimidate, menace, bully, harass, humiliate, or offend someone.
It has been increasing as more sports involve online communication including social media and text messages.
Australia’s online safety agency eSafety Commissioner has launched eSafety Sport, a one-stop-shop with tailored advice and scenarios for sports administrators, coaches, officials, athletes, competitors, and sports parents from grassroots to professional levels.
It includes information for recognising and dealing with online abuse, eight ways to stay safe online and downloadable resources for clubs to show their support.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said it’s about giving a “red card” to the “insidious” online abuse.
Ms. Grant said abuse could cast a dark shadow over sporting activities that more than 11 million Australians enjoy every week.
“Targeted online harassment takes a mental and emotional toll on the very people who make sport happen: our coaches, umpires and players,” she said.
She added long-established conventions against abuse when physically attending sports needed to be applied online, too.
She said passion for the game shouldn’t “blind” people to the damaging impact of harmful online words and actions.
“Our challenge is to help people understand that being abusive or offensive towards the opposition, the referee, or the coach doesn’t help the sport you love,” she said.
“While we might be disappointed with a particular call or play, that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable to unleash a torrent of online abuse.
“On the receiving end of every piece of online abuse is a person: someone’s child, mum, neighbour, friend, uncle, or sister.”
Australian Football League (AFL) Umpire Nathan Williamson said, “Like everyone else involved in sport, we’re human and we all have family and friends who care a lot about us."
Mr. Williamson said, “Hurling abuse at us doesn’t really achieve anything except make us feel rubbish, and makes our family and friends feel rubbish.”
“These resources have relatable advice for everyone at any level. If you’re involved in a local sporting club as a player or official, eSafety Sport will help build your online safety skills to support you, your family and your connections,” he said.
Further, he hoped it would inspire more people to act with respect online.
‘Suicide Happens Every Day Because of Online Bullying,’ NRL Player Says
It comes as athletes and staff across all sporting codes faced high levels of severe and harmful online abuse, including threatening, racist, sexist and homophobic comments, according to eSafety.The abuse would then quickly intensify in scale and nature, causing devastating impacts on a person’s well-being and sense of safety.
NRL stars Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker told Code Sports Investigations, “Suicide happens every day because of online bullying.”
Mr. Mitchell also said he received death threats.
Mr. Walker added, “We don’t want it to happen, but that’s the scary road it’s going down.”
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the new resources would help individual clubs and teams change this stem of online abuse for the better.
For this to happen, Ms Rowland called for sporting codes to use the resources and encourage their “teams, members and supporters to uphold values of respect, fairness and sportsmanship—both on the field and online.”
However, Sports Minister Anika Wells said some sporting community members were known to be more vulnerable to online attacks.
Ms. Wells said there is a “worrying trend” of online abuse towards female athletes.
Sportswomen received three times as many negative comments as men, and over a quarter of them were negative, sexist, sexualised, or belittled women’s sports, according to Sport Integrity Australia research.
Ms Wells said as the athletes become increasingly targeted online, the new web resources would be a “vital” safety tool.
“These resources will enable our sporting participants to have safer online experiences,” she said.
Over 30 Sports Organisations Collaborate
Sport Integrity Australia was among 30 major Australian sporting organisations that helped develop the new resources.Sport Integrity Australia’s Acting CEO Luke McCann, said to call out the poor behaviour online, there must first have been understanding and education of risks and information for securing a positive and inclusive future in Australian sport.
Mr. Mcann said, “There is no place for abuse in sport, and that includes online abuse.”
Meanwhile, sports abuse prevention advocates Play by the Rules supported eSafety to provide timely advice to help keep all Australians safe online.
Play by the Rules Co-chair Dr Paul Oliver recognised strong partnerships were crucial to change the online world for the better.
Mr. Oliver said working together positively changed behaviours and enhanced sporting environments to be safer, fairer, and more inclusive.”
“The eSafety Commissioner plays a critical role in this, and we value our continued partnership to address online safety issues. We are committed to keeping the sporting community safe, both offline and online,” he said.
“As the digital world continues to evolve and sporting communities engage more in an online world, it’s important we work together to enjoy the benefits modern technology provides us while making sure we all play it safe and fair online.”
