The United Against Online Abuse (UAOA) Day 7 July 2026: Online Abuse in Sport – Irish Law is Catching Up, But Enforcement Remains a Challenge

UAOA Day is an important reminder that sport should be a place of respect, inclusion, and fair competition. As UAOA’s campaign highlights, online abuse has no place in sport. The initiative recognises that athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, journalists, and supporters are increasingly subjected to harmful online behaviour that undermines participation, well-being, and the integrity of sport itself. The latest UAOA Barometer found that 75% of federations reported threats against competitors and their families, while 90% believed abuse could drive athletes out of sport altogether.

For many years, victims of online abuse in Ireland were told that the law had not kept pace with technology. That is no longer entirely true. While practical challenges remain, Ireland now has a growing body of criminal, civil, and regulatory measures that can be deployed against online abuse in sport.

The question is no longer whether legal remedies exist. The challenge is ensuring that athletes, sporting organisations, and governing bodies understand how to use them.

The Changing Nature of Abuse in Sport

Online abuse goes far beyond criticism of sporting performance. It increasingly includes:

• Racist abuse directed at athletes
• Misogynistic attacks against female competitors
• Homophobic and transphobic harassment
• Threats of violence
• Coordinated harassment campaigns
• Abuse targeting journalists, officials, and volunteers

These behaviours can have profound psychological consequences and can create genuine concerns for personal safety. As UAOA has highlighted, abuse is no longer confined to elite athletes; volunteers, officials, and media professionals are increasingly targeted as well.

A Significant Development – Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020

The most important recent legal development in Ireland is the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020. The legislation was specifically designed to tackle harmful online conduct.

Under the Act, it is a criminal offence to:

• Distribute, publish or threaten to distribute intimate images without consent
• Send or publish communications that are grossly offensive, threatening, or intended to cause harm
• Engage in conduct that seriously interferes with another person’s peace and privacy

For sport, this legislation is particularly important because much online abuse is not simply unpleasant commentary; it may amount to a criminal offence where there is an intention to cause serious harm or where threatening communications are involved.

An athlete receiving persistent messages encouraging threatening violence or targeting family members may potentially have grounds for a criminal complaint, depending on the facts and evidence available.

Harassment Laws Apply Online

Irish harassment law is not confined to physical conduct. The Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 makes it an offence to harass another person through persistent communications, including electronic communications.

Where an athlete, referee, or journalist is repeatedly targeted through direct messages, emails, comments, or posts, criminal harassment provisions may apply. Importantly, harassment is often characterised not by a single message but by a pattern of conduct. Sporting organisations should therefore encourage individuals to preserve evidence and document repeated incidents.

Screenshots, URLs, timestamps, and account details may become critical evidence in any investigation.

Threats and Incitement

Some online abuse crosses into direct criminality. Threats of violence can constitute offences under Irish criminal law. Likewise, where online communications incite hatred against individuals because of protected characteristics such as race, ethnicity, or religion, additional legal consequences may arise.

This is particularly relevant given UAOA findings that racist and misogynistic abuse now account for a substantial proportion of identified abuse directed at competitors.

There is a significant difference between robust sporting debate and communications that seek to intimidate, threaten, or dehumanise participants. The latter may attract criminal liability.

Defamation and Reputation Protection

Not all online abuse falls within criminal law. Athletes and sporting organisations may also consider civil remedies under the Defamation Act 2009. False allegations posted online can spread rapidly and cause significant reputational damage.

Examples might include:

• False accusations of cheating
• Fabricated claims of doping violations
• Incorrect allegations of criminal conduct
• False statements regarding safeguarding concerns

Where publication causes reputational harm, a victim may have grounds for a defamation action and may seek damages, correction orders, or injunctions. While litigation is often costly and should be carefully considered, the existence of a credible legal remedy can itself encourage the removal of harmful content.

The Role of Digital Services Regulation

Large online platforms also face increasing obligations.  The European Union’s Digital Services Act has strengthened requirements on major digital platforms to address illegal content, improve reporting mechanisms, and increase transparency.

For sporting organisations seeking removal of abusive content, these regulatory developments offer additional tools beyond traditional legal proceedings.

The practical reality is that tackling online abuse often requires a combination of criminal law, civil remedies, platform reporting mechanisms, and organisational action.

A Culture Change Is Still Required

Law alone cannot eradicate online abuse. The legal framework in Ireland is stronger than it was five years ago, but enforcement remains reactive. Criminal investigations occur only after abuse has happened. Court proceedings may take time. Harm to mental health, reputation, and participation may already have occurred.

That is why initiatives such as UAOA Day matter. The law can provide accountability, but culture creates prevention.

Sport has always been built on respect, fairness, and inclusion. Those values should not disappear when competition moves online. Whether abuse is directed at a Formula 1 driver, a GAA referee, a young amateur footballer, a journalist, or a volunteer, the message should remain the same:

As Ireland’s legal framework continues to evolve, athletes and sporting organisations should take confidence from the fact that online abuse is no longer beyond the reach of the law. The challenge now is ensuring that victims know their rights, organisations know their responsibilities, and perpetrators understand that online misconduct can attract real legal consequences. To this end, it is important for both individuals and organisations to join the UAOA Day campaign.

UAOA Day is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.