FIA’s anti-online abuse campaign secures significant EU support and financial support
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA)’s United Against Online Abuse (UAOA) campaign has secured €400,000 in funding under the European Union’s Erasmus+ program. This represents a major vote of confidence from the European Union in the Union.
The funding recognizes the Campaign’s global leadership in combating online abuse in sport and will commit UAOA to lead innovative projects to tackle online harm in sport across the EU.
UAOA, supported by the FIA Foundation, submitted a detailed and compelling proposal to the European Union before being selected as one of less than 100 successful projects out of approximately 2,000 applicants. Achieving an impressive evaluation score of 87 out of 100 reflects the importance of the project while solidifying UAOA’s position as a leading global authority on research and response to online abuse in sports.
Erasmus+ funding will enable UAOA to develop and implement an innovative framework to tackle the growing problem of online abuse targeting athletes, officials and fans. The initiative will integrate cutting-edge research, education initiatives and advocacy to foster inclusivity, safety and respect across the European sports ecosystem.
Project highlights:
- Research, Education and Awareness: Conducting empirical research in native languages at national level, launching the first EU-wide campaign against online abuse in sport and developing training tools, including micro-credentials on online safety.
- Protection and Empowerment: Create a critical incident framework, strengthen organizational expertise and provide training to sports stakeholders to effectively deal with online harm.
- Technology-driven solutions: Use AI-based strategies for targeted social media interventions and develop digital tools to address and prevent online abuse.
- Inclusiveness and Collaboration: We focus on protecting vulnerable groups while fostering partnerships with governments, NGOs and sports federations across Europe to drive systemic change.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President and UAOA Founder, said:
“This funding is a landmark achievement for the FIA and UAOA campaigns and represents a decisive step forward in our mission to create a safer digital environment for everyone involved in sport.
“With the support of the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme, this world-leading project will deliver meaningful, innovative and lasting change.
“Sport is a unifying force and online spaces must reflect this. By fighting online harm through innovation and collaboration, we are ensuring that the values of integrity and inclusion remain at the heart of sport. I am grateful to our partners across Europe for their shared commitment to this important issue and look forward to working with them in the years ahead.”
Erin Bourke, UAOA project leader, said:
“The Erasmus+ funding recognizes the great progress made in the short time since the UAOA campaign began. The European Union (EU) recognizes the critical need to tackle online abuse in sport, and we are honored to have committed to this. Wow To implement such a comprehensive and Europe-wide project.
“UAOA’s application demonstrates how the project will provide athletes, officials and fans with the tools and support they need to safely navigate the online world, while working with governments, platforms and regulators to ensure the best structures and frameworks are in place. Explain. We are proud to lead this initiative and look forward to working with our partners to help create a digital space where respect and inclusivity for sport thrives.”
The UAOA project, which runs from January 2025 to January 2027, is implemented and overseen by leading anti-online abuse organizations and FIA member clubs from six EU countries. FIA (France) serves as project coordinator.
Four FIA member clubs will provide practical and material support to the project.
- Autoklub české republiky (Czech Republic)
- Zveza za avto sport Slovenije – AS SLO (Slovenia)
- Real Federación Espanola de Automobilismo (Spain)
- Svenska Bilsportförbundet (Sweden)
The program will also benefit from the legal expertise and guidance of Clark Hill LLP (Ireland).
This project is an important milestone for the UAOA campaign and solidifies our position as a leading global coalition fighting online abuse in sports. UAOA aims to bring together sports federations, national governments, regulators and technology platforms to promote regulatory and behavioral change to tackle the rise in online harassment and hate speech. Since its founding in 2023, UAOA has published pioneering research, launched international campaigns, and brought together key stakeholders to promote safer and more inclusive digital spaces.
To date, the UAOA Alliance has welcomed support from the governments of Greece, France, Slovenia, Albania, Australia, Kenya, Costa Rica, Namibia and Rwanda, as well as sports federations and organizations such as the FIM, the International Esports Federation, ASETEK SimSports and Peace. and Sport Monaco, UNESCO, Council of Europe, Clark Hill LLP, Arwen.AI and DCU University.
