{"id":5370,"date":"2024-03-21T15:39:07","date_gmt":"2024-03-21T15:39:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sportaccord.sport\/2026-conv\/?p=5370"},"modified":"2024-03-21T15:40:59","modified_gmt":"2024-03-21T15:40:59","slug":"sportaccord-2024-combating-online-abuse-chance-for-sport-to-show-its-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sportaccord.sport\/2026-conv\/sportaccord-2024-combating-online-abuse-chance-for-sport-to-show-its-power\/","title":{"rendered":"SportAccord 2024 – combating online abuse \u2018chance for sport to show its power\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND – Online abuse – which has reached a record high in sport and society – is set for the SportAccord spotlight in just 21 days, when global experts come together under the \u2018Power of Sport\u2019 theme.<\/p>\n

Join us at this inspiring SportAccord session dedicated to the ground-breaking steps being taken to combat online abuse at Plenary Conference (Day 4 – Thursday, 11 April)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

AI-powered – abusers out in the open<\/strong><\/p>\n

Join Jonathan Hirshler, CEO of data science company Signify Group<\/strong>, whose AI-powered Threat Matrix monitoring system is helping sports organisations around the world to detect, analyse and tackle online abuse:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will look at the state-of-play of online abuse in sport, share insights and learnings from some of the biggest events on the planet, and show how technology, sports bodies and law enforcement are working together to create a safer online environment for athletes, officials and fans,\u201d explained Hirshler<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u2018Next-level abuse\u2019 – no longer tolerated<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meet the \u2018Whose Responsibility Is It?\u2019 panel – moderated by David Eades<\/strong> – on stamping out rising online abuse received by players, officials and sports fans.<\/p>\n

Wayne Barnes – world rugby\u2019s most accomplished referee <\/strong>– made global headlines after retiring following the 2023 World Cup Final due to \u2018next-level\u2019 online abuse. Now, as Partner in the Government Investigations & White Collar Practice of Squire Patton Boggs <\/strong>– and an accomplished criminal barrister and trial advocate, with more than two decades of experience conducting complex, internal and corporate investigations across multiple jurisdictions – he brings a unique perspective to SportAccord 2024:<\/p>\n

\u201cArs\u00e8ne Wenger famously said that \u2018We have gone from a vertical society to a horizontal society, where everybody has an opinion about every decision you make\u2019 – and though social media has given individuals the platform to have an opinion, it has also given individuals direct access to people they don\u2019t know and may never meet.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat, along with a cloak of anonymity and the belief that there will be no consequences for what we say and do online, has led to a dramatic growth in online abuse over the past decade.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe often see sport lead the way and watch society follow. Society is crying out for someone to say no longer will we accept the abhorrent abuse that has spawned out of social media. At SportAccord 2024, this could be a chance for sport to show how powerful it can be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>Barnes and Hirshler are joined by Sarah Gregorius – Director of Global Policy & Strategic Relations for Women\u2019s Football at FIFPRO<\/strong>, Sanjay Bhandari – Chair of Kick It Out<\/strong> and Janie Frampton OBE – Vice President of International Federation for Sports Officials<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201c2024 is likely to be the worst year ever for online hate, abuse and misinformation,\u201d said Bhandari<\/strong>. \u201cIt is more important than ever that sports work together, using the power of our collective voice, to hold social media, governments and regulators to account and to change the normalised culture of casual online hate.”<\/p>\n

\u201cAs an outcome of this panel, I hope when faced with any form of abuse in sport, we have the tools and skills required to deal with every eventuality,\u201d underlined Frampton<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

SportAccord 2024 – join world\u2019s leading sports industry experts<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meet renowned global experts in sport, industry and academia<\/a> and join over 1,500 delegates and exhibitors at SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit on 7-11 April at the award-winning International Convention Centre (ICC) in Birmingham – West Midlands.<\/p>\n

Register now: \u00a0https:\/\/register.event-works.com\/sportaccord\/birmingham2024\/e\/ce\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>Partners<\/strong><\/p>\n

SportAccord2024 is supported by a number of partners and suppliers:<\/p>\n