Sports organizations are pushing for change, suggesting that bookmakers should implement measures to limit and prevent aggressive players from engaging in excessive betting activities.
In a bid to combat digital harassment targeting professional tennis players, particularly female athletes, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) have initiated several significant measures and proposed initiatives. Betting companies are also being encouraged to cooperate in these efforts.
The joint report, released by the WTA, ITF, and Signify Group, reveals that over 8000 offensive messages were sent to tennis players via social media. Notable victims include Katie Boulter, a second-ranked player in the UK, who has received death wishes, sexual harassment, and other threatening messages at major tournaments like the French Open.
One particularly disturbing message sent to Katie Boulter stated, "Hope you get cancer." Another threatened to buy candles and a coffin for her family. Some messages even threatened to destroy family members' graves.
The report indicates that 26% of all abuses were targeted at just five athletes, including Emma Raducanu, Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur, Jessica Pegula, and Katie Boulter. These cases illustrate the extreme cynicism and cruelty involved in the internet harassment of professional tennis players.
To tackle this issue, the WTA and ITF have enhanced their Threat Matrix service to include real-time moderation of social media content across major platforms. This system automatically hides or removes hateful and abusive messages targeting players on official tour channels and can be made available to players individually.
Analysis revealed that a small number of prolific accounts, predominantly linked to angry gamblers, were responsible for a significant portion of abuse (12% of all abuse from 10 accounts). Many of these accounts have been suspended, had posts deleted, or had content removed.
The WTA and ITF are also collaborating with law enforcement, with 15 accounts reported leading to legal action protecting over 8,000 players from abuse. They are committed to escalating severe cases for investigation and prosecution.
In response to the issue, American bookmaker FanDuel, the exclusive partner of WTA and ITF, has added a new clause to its platform terms, allowing it to terminate service to any client found to be involved in harassing players, coaches, or officials.
The WTA and ITF are urging betting market players to more actively engage in the fight against digital harassment, calling for tougher measures and increased educational efforts. They plan to escalate their protective measures collectively to ensure offenders face consequences, including potential bans from tennis events.
All betting companies are being explicitly asked to close accounts of bettors who harass players. This initiative seeks to stem abuse from its source by cutting off access for recurring offenders within the gambling community.
The WTA and ITF emphasize that social media platforms, governing bodies, players, betting operators, and law enforcement all share responsibility to create a safer, more respectful online environment. They are calling for a constructive dialogue with gambling operators to help identify and block accounts of bettors who engage in abusive behavior online.
This multi-pronged strategy showcases a comprehensive approach to mitigate the pervasive problem of digital harassment in professional tennis. The WTA, ITF, and their partners are committed to ensuring a safer, more respectful environment for all professional tennis players.
- What actions have the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) and International Tennis Federation (ITF) taken to combat digital harassment of tennis players? They have released a joint report, collaborated with law enforcement, and are working to enhance their Threat Matrix service to include real-time moderation of social media content.
- To what extent are betting companies involved in these efforts against digital harassment? Betting companies are being encouraged to cooperate, and American bookmaker FanDuel, the exclusive partner of WTA and ITF, has added a new clause to its platform terms that allows it to terminate service to any client found to be involved in harassing players.
- How are the WTA and ITF urging betting market players to engage in the fight against digital harassment? They are calling for tougher measures and increased educational efforts, and they are committed to escalating severe cases for investigation and prosecution. They also plan to ask all betting companies to close accounts of bettors who harass players, in an effort to stem abuse from its source.
