Supported by the FIA Foundation and the European Union, the event brought together over 35 national and international partners from across government, policy, sport, academia, and the EU Forum to discuss global pipeline and identify gaps to strengthen the UAOA Coalition’s ways of working against online abuse in sport.

A CATALYST FOR CHANGE

Encompassing the UAOA Coalition pillars, Stronger Together, Evidence-Based and Committed to Action, the event, introduced by FIA President H.E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, featured expert keynote addresses from Belkhir Balhaddad (Député de la Moselle, Assemblée Nationale), Julia Pélissier (CNOSF), Giulia Scacchi (UNESCO), Benoît Loutrel (ARCOM) and Gabriela Matei (Council of Europe).

Delegates tackled critical policy questions and explored effective, coordinated solutions to combat online abuse in sport. More must be done to foster environments that sportspeople can feel safe to share their experiences and there is a need to strategically coordinate efforts to overcome the restrictions caused by a lack of funding, and to continue to involve parties outside of the sporting ecosystem.

COMMITMENT TO COLLECTIVE ACTION

The FIA remains steadfast in its mission to drive collective action and address one of the most urgent digital and sporting challenges of our time. The inaugural roundtable marked a vital milestone, and the Coalition will continue its strategic vision for long-term behavioural change.

H.E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, said: "No one can solve the issue of online abuse alone. This is not just a technology or a sports issue, it is about people, respect and safety. That is why our United Against Online Abuse coalition is continuing to grow and it is great to see our community come together again at our Spring Convening.

"This meeting is about moving forward and taking action together, to shape a safer future for sport. Thank you to all of our partners for your continued commitment and for the work you do every day."

ENDS

For media inquiries, please contact:

Maria Zander, Corporate Communications Manager: mzander@fia.com