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A new survey has revealed an ‘alarming scale and severity of abuse’ targeting sports journalists over the past year.
Over 85% of respondents said that fear of online abuse may impact their willingness to pursue certain stories, posing a significant challenge to press freedom.
The Sports Journalist Barometer Report, published this by the United Against Online Abuse Campaign (UAOA), has recorded ‘a disturbing rise in both the volume and toxicity of online abuse directed at sports journalists, to the extent that it may impact their ability to report freely’.
The way the survey was designed to keep responses anonymous and protect confidentiality means that researchers were unable to provide to Esports News UK any sport-specific insights other than motorsport in the report. However, the survey was sent to esports journalists, but as responses were anonymous, it’s not clear what percentage of respondents are esports journalists.
Furthermore, the International Esports Federation (IESF) are members of the United Against Online Abuse coalition. The campaign is global and runs across multiple sporting disciplines.
Supported by the FIA Foundation, UAOA has published this report following ‘an extensive, global survey of sports journalists across diverse sporting disciplines’. The report’s findings hope to galvanise the growing coalition against online abuse in sport, ‘driving meaningful, decisive, and collective action to safeguard those who bring the stories of sport to life’.
Key findings in the Sports Journalist Barometer Report
- Widespread Abuse: 95% of respondents believe online abuse against sports journalists is widespread.
- Escalating Severity: Over 75% reported that the severity of online abuse has increased in the last 12 months, with over 40% stating it has “significantly” worsened.
- Threat to Press Freedom: More than 85% of respondents said fear of online abuse may impact their willingness to pursue certain stories, posing a significant challenge to press freedom.
- Forms of Abuse: Misogyny was identified as the most common form of abuse, followed by sectarianism, racism, and attacks on physical appearance.
The report also details the personal toll online abuse has on sports journalists. Many respondents reported experiencing relentless harassment, pile-ons, and threats that have caused severe mental distress.
Female journalists highlighted a unique and pervasive form of abuse, including misogyny, resulting in many withdrawing from social media entirely. The prevalence of anonymous accounts was also identified as a key contributor to the scale of abuse directed at journalists.
Responses also uncovered consistent and deeply concerning patterns with journalists describing the relentless and debilitating abuse received via social media and female sports journalists reporting the additional scrutiny they face because of their gender.
In response to the findings, United Against Online Abuse has committed to lead a ‘unified, collaborative, and solutions-focused approach to address this critical issue by facilitating effective partnerships between the sports, political, and journalism sectors over the coming months’.
The report outlines a series of actionable recommendations, including the establishment of a dedicated working group that convenes sports journalists, sporting organisations, and technology platforms. It is proposed that this group will serve as a constructive forum, developing and implementing robust frameworks designed to protect the safety and well-being of media professionals while safeguarding the integrity of sports journalism.
The campaign will also advocate for media organisations to establish and implement comprehensive codes of practice that clearly outline the online abuse reporting and support processes available to their journalists.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President and Founder of United Against Online Abuse, said: “Journalists are the voices of our sports, connecting millions of fans worldwide to the passion, drama, and triumphs that make it so special. It is essential that they can carry out their invaluable work in a safe and supportive environment. This landmark report exposes the unacceptable abuse they are facing and the chilling impact it has on press freedom.
“We must act decisively to address this issue, working together across the sporting, media, and political sectors to implement meaningful solutions that protect journalists and upholds the integrity of sports journalism.”
Darren Lewis, President of the Sports Journalists’ Association, said:
“Not a single journalist will be surprised by the numbers. Nor will they be shocked by the details. No matter how harmless the subject, how anodyne the story, writers find themselves in the crosshairs of anonymous social media users intent on directing abuse their way.”
Darren Lewis, Sports Journalists’ Association
“Legislation with teeth, per the report, must also follow. The findings in the report are too important to delay action any further.”
United Against Online Abuse urges governments, media organisations, sports federations, and technology platforms to collaborate on these critical recommendations.
“Together, we can safeguard the integrity of sports journalism, protect press freedom, and create a safer environment for all of those who dedicate their lives to covering the stories of sport,” the UAOA said in a press release.
The United Against Online Abuse campaign receives support from the FIA Foundation to enable its research projects. UAOA is a collaborative mission that convenes sporting organisations, national governments, regulatory institutions, and technology platforms, united as a global coalition to research and tackle online abuse within the sport ecosystem. They produce regular research reports and hold international events and forums as the leading global campaign in the fight against online abuse in sport.
You can view the full 2024 Sports Journalist Barometer report here, and see more info at www.unitedagainstonlineabuse.com
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
