Tackling Online Harms in Sport: Insights from the DCU International Research Week Symposia

As part of DCU Business School International Research Week, we hosted an Online Harms in Sport Symposium, bringing together academics, industry leaders, and regulatory experts to explore the growing issue of digital abuse in sports .

This event marked the first official gathering of the newly launched International Network for Online Harms, a collaborative initiative designed to unite expertise from academia, industry, regulators, and civil society in tackling this critical issue. As highlighted in the opening remarks, addressing online harms in sport requires a multi-stakeholder approach—one that fosters collaboration, research-driven policy, and technological innovation.

Stakeholder Panel: A Multifaceted Challenge

The discussion began with a stakeholder panel featuring experts from different domains, each bringing unique perspectives on player welfare, media regulation, and digital threat mitigation.

Pamela Gilpin – Head of Player Development & Wellbeing at the World Players Association and Player Development Manager at Rugby Players Ireland.
Tanya Warren – Director of Policy at Coimisiún na Meán, Ireland’s media regulator, responsible for implementing Ireland’s online safety framework.
Jake Marsh – Head of Signify Sport, a company that uses AI-driven monitoring and threat analysis to protect athletes and officials from online abuse.

Key Takeaways from the Panel Discussion:

The Complexity of Online Harms – Online harms in sport is multi-layered, spanning cyberbullying, targeted threats, hate speech, doxing, misinformation and more. It affects athletes, officials, journalists, fans and organisations, disproportionately impacting marginalised groups.
Collaboration is Key – Industry, regulators, federations, and athletes must work together to streamline reporting mechanisms, enforce accountability, and create safer digital environments.
The Role of Academic Research – Research is crucial in shaping policies, interventions, and technology-driven solutions that protect individuals while balancing freedom of expression and censorship concerns.
Regulatory Challenges – Holding social media platforms accountable remains a major challenge, with gaps in enforcement and insufficient protections for athletes facing persistent online abuse.Emerging Threats – As technology advances, new challenges arise, including deepfake content, AI-driven misinformation, and increasingly sophisticated harassment tactics.

The Athlete’s Perspective: Player Welfare & Mental Health

Pamela Gilpin highlighted how online harms have become a major welfare issue in sport, affecting not just mental health but also player participation and performance.

The Psychological Toll – Exposure to persistent online abuse leads to anxiety, stress, and burnout, affecting athletes’ confidence both on and off the field.
Impact on Participation & Performance – Some athletes withdraw from social media entirely, while others struggle with performance anxiety due to online scrutiny.
Support Systems & Policies – Player associations are working to implement mental health resources, social media guidelines, and reporting mechanisms. However, more needs to be done to standardise protections across sports.

Advice for Athletes & Support Staff:

Know your rights – Understand platform policies and how to report abuse effectively.
Use platform tools – Leverage filtering, blocking, and moderation features to reduce exposure to harmful content.
Seek mental health support – Organisations must prioritise psychological resilience training alongside physical training.

Regulatory & Policy Perspectives: Are We Doing Enough?

Tanya Warren from Coimisiún na Meán provided insight into the regulatory landscape for online harms in sport.

How Regulation Works – The commission is responsible for Ireland’s online safety framework, ensuring platforms moderate harmful content, protect users, and comply with new legislation.
Challenges in Holding Platforms Accountable – Social media platforms often lack consistency in enforcement, and there’s still a lack of transparency in their content moderation policies.
The Need for Stronger Policies – While current frameworks provide a foundation, more specific regulations for sport may be necessary. This includes better protections for young athletes and stricter obligations for digital platforms.
Working with Victims of Online Abuse – The regulator aims to provide clear reporting pathways and mental health support for those impacted.

Technology & AI: Fighting Online Abuse in Real-Time

Jake Marsh from Signify Sport discussed the technological solutions being developed to track, analyse, and mitigate online abuse in sport.

AI-Powered Monitoring – Signify Sport’s AI-driven tools scan social media and other digital spaces for patterns of abuse, helping organisations identify threats before they escalate.
Types of Online Abuse in Sport – Common issues include racial abuse, gendered harassment, threats of violence, and coordinated attacks on athletes and officials.
Trends & Patterns – Abuse levels often spike after high-profile matches or controversial incidents, with women and minority athletes facing disproportionate levels of harassment.
The Challenge of Content Moderation – Balancing freedom of speech with content moderation is a delicate issue. AI tools must ensure speed and accuracy while avoiding excessive censorship.

Looking Ahead:

More industry collaboration is needed to strengthen AI moderation tools.
Governments must push for greater platform accountability.
Athletes should be equipped with digital literacy training to recognise and respond to threats.

Final Thoughts: What’s Next in Tackling Online Harms in Sport?

The symposia concluded with reflections on future challenges and opportunities in addressing online harms. The panel agreed that:

Regulations need to evolve – Governments must continue refining laws and enforcement mechanisms to keep pace with digital threats.
More proactive measures are required – Real-time detection, improved platform accountability, and greater athlete support are essential next steps.
Collaboration is the only way forward – Industry, regulators, and sports organisations must work together to create a safer online environment for all athletes.

A Step Forward in the Fight Against Online Harms in Sport

The DCU Online Harms in Sport Symposium highlighted one of the most pressing issues in the sports industry today. Through continued research, policy development, and technological innovation, we can create a digital environment where athletes, officials, journalists, and fans are protected from abuse.

As the International Network for Online Harms takes shape, we look forward to strengthening collaborations and driving real change in how online abuse in sport is addressed globally.

Connect with the Institute for Business & Society to collaborate further on this topic via our Linkedin Channel and visit our webpage for more information