KUALA LUMPUR: The Badminton World Federation (BWF) have strengthened efforts to protect players and officials from online abuse through a new partnership with digital safety specialists Signify Group.
The move comes as athletes across many sports continue to face rising levels of harassment on social media.
The collaboration will give the BWF stronger tools to detect, assess, and respond to abusive or threatening messages directed at players, coaches, officials, and staff.
Using Signify’s Threat Matrix service, reports of abuse will be analysed and, if necessary, escalated for further investigation.
Serious cases may be referred to law enforcement agencies or social media platforms, with evidence compiled to support action against offenders.
Athletes and officials are encouraged to report abusive direct messages privately to the BWF Integrity Unit instead of sharing them publicly, which can make investigations harder.
BWF secretary-general Thomas Lund said the partnership reflected the federation’s commitment to safeguarding their community.
“The safety and wellbeing of our athletes and officials is a top priority.
“This partnership strengthens our ability to respond to online abuse in a clear and meaningful way while giving stakeholders tools to better protect themselves,” said Lund.
The BWF hope the initiative will create a safer online environment and send a strong message that abuse has no place in badminton.
