In response to the growing threat of online abuse and digital harm in sport, leaders from the sport, law enforcement and technology sectors gathered today for an inaugural Online Safety in Sport Summit.
Jointly hosted by Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) and the eSafety Commissioner (eSafety), the Summit brought together senior leaders from sport, government, law enforcement, policy and the technology sector to strengthen collaboration and drive action on online abuse in sport.
Attendees heard from speakers across the sector, including Dr Emma Kavanagh, a leading international researcher on online abuse from the University of Loughborough, as well as Australian athletes and officials with lived experience of online harms, and technology industry partners.
The Summit reinforced a shared commitment to prevention, early intervention and person-centred responses; all while recognising that no single organisation can address online harm alone.
The eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant PSM said while technology is an excellent tool for connecting sporting communities, it also carries safety risks.
“Harmful and abusive conduct that was once confined to the sidelines, no longer stays there. It follows people home – onto their phones, into their private messages, and into spaces where there is nowhere to escape,” Ms Inman Grant said.
“As digital environments around sport continue to become faster, more visible and complex, our task is to help ensure these online spaces enhance sport and healthy competition – not harm it.”
The eSafety Commissioner also released new research at the Summit titled, The Digital Sideline, which examines the online experiences of children involved in sport.
“Our research found that nearly one-in-five children who had participated in organised sporting activities as experienced cyberbullying from someone connected to these activities and a further 6 per cent have experienced online hate from someone linked to their sport,” Ms Inman Grant said.
“Those responsible were most commonly peers – such as teammates or competitors – with harms often occurring in messages, group chats or calls.”
Together, these initiatives reinforce a coordinated approach to online safety combining leadership, education and evidence to better protect everyone involved in Australian sport.
At the Summit, SIA and eSafety reaffirmed their partnership to enhance online safety across the Australian sporting sector, including at the community level.
Read the full statement on SIA's website.