World Rugby clamps down on online abuse

NEWS: The world’s top players and match officials are uniting with World Rugby to take a powerful stand against online abuse, as the federation launches a groundbreaking protection service ahead of Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025.

For the first time at its premier tournament, World Rugby will deliver proactive, action-oriented support to all players, coaches, and match officials – reinforcing its commitment to protecting the wellbeing of everyone in the game.

The groundbreaking milestone reflects World Rugby’s commitment to supporting the mental wellbeing of players and match officials as a core wellness pillar of impact beyond 2025, tackling online abuse and fostering a respectful and inclusive environment for all participants, both on and off the field.

England 2025 is set to be a generational moment, drawing unprecedented online attention and shining a spotlight on women’s and girls’ rugby.

Increased online visibility often leads to a rise in trolling, abuse, and hate speech, particularly in the context of female sports coverage.

Research indicates that female players and match officials are 30 per cent more likely to experience abuse than their male counterparts, while the UK is the largest originator of abuse towards match officials and players at international level.

World Rugby’s will provide an action-oriented approach, monitoring social media platforms to detect and report abusive posts and comments directed at players and match officials.

It will also identify the sources of abusive content, enabling real-world actions such as fines, loss of access to matches and where particularly egregious threats are evidenced to pass criminal thresholds, potential prosecution.

Safeguarding insights will also be shared with unions to build a 360-degree approach to tackling online hate.

The initiative is a key component of the wellness pillar within World Rugby’s Impact Beyond 2025 Plan, designed to ensure the tournament leaves a lasting legacy worldwide.

It will extend well beyond the final match, offering valuable insights into the trends, triggers, and potential mitigations for online hate and violence.

World Rugby Chief of Women’s Rugby Sally Horrox said: “Every player and official deserves to feel safe and respected. This is a clear signal that we will not tolerate abuse and we are committed to creating an environment where women in rugby can thrive without fear.

“Rugby has always been about respect and the launch of the Social Media Protection Service ensures that we hold people to account.

“Women’s World Cup 2025 will shine a global spotlight on the women’s game. We are proud to stand behind our players and officials – this is about leading with action.”