A new study examining how UK sports organisations respond to online abuse against female athletes reveals significant gaps in protection, with no tailored safeguarding policies specifically addressing the unique vulnerabilities faced by professional sportswomen.
The research, led by Sheffield Hallam University, analysed 52 policies from clubs and governing bodies across football, rugby, and cricket. It found that female athletes receive inadequate protection from social media abuse despite facing 19% more online harassment than their male counterparts.
The study, published this week in the Journal of Communication & Sport, comes just weeks after the Women’s Euros where players spoke out about receiving online abuse and ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Only nine of the 28 clubs and organisations studied referred to social media in the context of abuse, highlighting how safeguarding approaches have failed to keep pace with the rapid professionalisation of women's sports.
No clubs or organisations differentiated their social media policies for women's sports, with female athletes explicitly mentioned in only one policy document across all three sports examined. While policies extensively address racist abuse, they largely ignore the sexist, homophobic, and misogynistic harassment that disproportionately affects female athletes.
The research also highlights the growing severity of online abuse against sportswomen. Female players are 19% more likely to face online abuse than males in tournaments, this figure rose to 29% during the 2023 Women's World Cup. Discriminatory views against female athletes increased by 44% year-on-year between 2023-2024 and 71% of female athletes have witnessed gendered abuse, with nearly half being directly targeted.
The research was led by Amberlie Williams from the School of Sport and Physical Activity at Sheffield Hallam University.
She said:
"Our findings reveal a concerning pattern where female athletes are being failed by the organisations meant to protect them. Traditional approaches designed for male athletes are being inappropriately applied to women's newly professionalised leagues, leaving female players particularly vulnerable in an online environment where abuse targeting women is harder to detect and remove."
"Female athletes are operating in a perfect storm of increased visibility, financial vulnerability, and inadequate protection. This research should serve as a wake-up call for sports organisations to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of their female athletes."
The study found that organisations consistently transferred the burden of protection onto athletes themselves, social media companies, and government bodies rather than taking direct action to safeguard their players. They also prioritised protecting organisational reputation and revenue generation over athlete welfare.
The study's authors are calling for immediate reforms, including:
• Development of gender-specific safeguarding policies that address the unique forms of
abuse faced by female athletes
• Investment in proactive protection measures rather than reactive reporting systems
• Recognition of the financial dependency female athletes have on social media for income generation
• Training programmes specifically designed for the challenges in women's sport
The findings suggest that current policies may be inadvertently perpetuating gender inequalities rather than addressing them.
With women's sport experiencing unprecedented growth in popularity and professionalisation, the research highlights an urgent need for sports organisations to modernise their approach to athlete protection.
