LONDON • World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has described as "disturbing" the results of a study conducted during the Tokyo Olympics to identify and address targeted, abusive messages sent to athletes via social media.
The survey to gain an understanding of the level of online abuse in athletics drew its findings from a sample of 161 Twitter handles of current and former athletes involved in the Summer Games.
They were tracked during the July 15-Aug 9 study period, starting one week before the Olympic opening ceremony and concluding the day after the closing ceremony of the quadrennial event.
The survey found 23 of the athletes received targeted abuse, with 16 of those women - 115 of the 132 identified abusive posts were directed at female athletes.
Female athletes received 87 per cent of all abuse. Two athletes - both black and female - received 63 per cent of identified abuse.
Unfounded doping accusations made up 25 per cent of abusive messages, while 10 per cent consisted of transphobic (9 per cent) and homophobic (1 per cent) posts.
Eighty-nine per cent of racist abuse was targeted at American athletes, despite them representing only 23 per cent of the study set.
The two most common categories of abuse were of a sexist (29 per cent) and/or racist (26 per cent) nature, accounting for 55 per cent of all identified abuse.
"This research is disturbing in so many ways," said Coe in a statement. "What strikes me the most is that the abuse is targeted at individuals who are celebrating and sharing their performances and talent as a way to inspire and motivate people.
"To face the kinds of abuse they have is unfathomable and we all need to do more to stop this. Shining a light on the issue is just the first step."
World Athletics added that it would be conducting further research in this area to introduce an online abuse framework for its own social media channels in order to create a safer environment.
Meanwhile, the 2022 Diamond League will be held in 14 cities across four continents, the organisers announced on Thursday.
Athletes will compete for points in 13 series meets from May to September and the most successful will qualify for the two-day season finale in Zurich. The first meet is scheduled for Doha on May 13.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
