On 9th September in Stockholm the second conference of the United Against Online Abuse (UAOA) campaign gathered regulators, experts and thought leaders to address the growing challenge of online abuse in sport.
As one of the first members of the UAOA coalition, Peace and Sport is committed to promoting sport as part of the solution to combat abuse, both online and on the field. The UAOA campaign provides a meaningful platform to highlight the power of sport as a tool for education, teaching respect, inclusion, and acceptance of differences.
Speaking at the opening session in Stockholm, Peace and Sport’s President and Founder, Joël Bouzou, stressed the need for a paradigm shift. He underlined that sport should not be limited to performance or entertainment, but must be recognized and used as a tool to educate and build bridges across communities. He also emphasized that intentionally using sport to teach values of peace is a cost-effective way to prevent violence and to equip younger generations with the life skills they need to reject violence and build resilience in the face of abuse.
Promoting multi-stakeholder approaches and coalitions is a core element of Peace and Sport’s advocacy efforts. This strategy ensures that sport for peace initiatives can draw on the strengths and expertise of diverse actors, fully leveraging sport’s potential to build more inclusive and peaceful communities. The UAOA coalition embodies this approach, demonstrating how joint efforts can produce meaningful change and address complex social issues.
Through its active engagement in the UAOA coalition, Peace and Sport also emphasizes the crucial role of athletes. With their unmatched reach and influence, spanning from local communities to entire continents, athletes hold a unique platform to inspire change. Their visibility makes them easy targets for abuse, but it also allows them to be powerful advocates. As role models, especially for younger generations, athletes are listened to by both fans and decision-makers. This gives them a vital role in preventing and combating all forms of abuse. However, to fully play this role, athletes need support and safe spaces to speak out, such as the ones provided by the UAOA campaign.
The 2nd UAOA Conference in Stockholm reaffirmed that tackling online abuse requires collective commitment and innovative solutions. As an early and active member of the coalition, Peace and Sport continues to advocate for education, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and the empowerment of athletes as role models. By working together through initiatives like UAOA, the global sporting community can harness the power of sport to foster respect, resilience, and inclusion, both online and on the field.
