The latest report from Ofcom and Kick It Out reveals the growing and severe effects of online abuse directed at individuals in sport. The report highlights how the culture of online hate has worsened and is deeply impacting the lives, careers, and mental health of athletes, coaches, and their families.
Online Hate Taking a Devastating Toll
According to the report, some individuals have been so affected by online abuse that they barricaded themselves inside their homes out of fear for their safety. Azeem Rafiq, the cricketer who exposed racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, described the traumatic toll the abuse took on his mental health. “The impact on me as a human being and on my mental health has damaged my life to such an extent, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to quantify it,” he said. Rafiq faced racist insults, including being called a ‘Dirty P-word’ and being told to ‘Fuck off back to Pakistan.’ This abuse left him feeling paranoid and questioning his sanity.
Abuse Affects Families as Well
Former rugby referee Wayne Barnes shared how the abuse directed at him was painful, but the impact on his family was even worse. “What made it worse was the direct impact over time on my family,” he said, referencing misogynistic comments aimed at his wife. He recalled being told, “You fucking bitch! You slut! Tell your husband he’s shit,” and even receiving threats of sexual violence. The abuse didn’t only affect him but extended to his loved ones, intensifying the psychological burden.
Performance and Self-Censorship
The report also highlighted how online abuse affects the performance of sport stars. Athletes expressed how constant harassment made it difficult to focus and perform. Presenters, too, reported that the threats and hate they received often led them to self-censor their speech and actions, fearful of further backlash.
Culture of Abuse Becoming ‘Normalised’
Kick It Out chair Sanjay Bhandari emphasized that online abuse in sport has become so commonplace that it has been “normalised.” He pointed out that the rise in discriminatory abuse reports in the past year shows the growing prevalence of this issue. “This isn’t about a few hateful comments. It’s about a culture of abuse that has become normalised,” he said. The report also stressed that many of the abusive comments are not illegal but still have a significant emotional toll on victims. Without legal consequences, perpetrators feel emboldened to continue their actions.
Social Media Platforms Must Do More
Social media platforms, now bound by the Online Safety Act, are under pressure to improve user safety. Jessica Zucker, online safety director at Ofcom, called on tech companies to take more proactive steps to protect people from online abuse. “This is having a devastating impact on them, their livelihoods and their families, and no one should have to put up with it,” she said. Zucker emphasized that tech firms must take responsibility for keeping their platforms safe and be held accountable if they fail to do so.
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