About
Online abuse has no place in sport.
Online abuse has become one of the most urgent challenges facing the sporting community. Athletes may be among its most visible targets, but they are far from the only ones affected. Officials, volunteers, coaches, journalists, team personnel and fans can all be exposed to harassment, discrimination, intimidation and harmful behaviour online.
UAOA Day provides the sporting community with a shared platform to raise awareness, amplify the voices of those affected, share practical resources and demonstrate that responsibility for safer digital spaces cannot rest solely with the individuals experiencing abuse.
The initiative forms part of the wider work of the United Against Online Abuse coalition, founded in 2023 by H.E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President, and was developed within the framework of the 2025-2027 Erasmus+ project “Developing a Pan-European Framework to Combat Online Abuse in Sport.”
More than a one-day campaign, UAOA Day contributes to a long-term international effort to advance education, research, collaboration, accountability and meaningful action across sport.
Together, we are working towards a sporting culture in which respect is protected online as firmly as it is expected on the field of play.
UAUA Day 2026
From a shared message to a global movement
On 7 July 2026, the sporting community came together for the inaugural edition of UAOA Day.
The first campaign transformed a clear message into visible collective action, combining global digital mobilisation, stakeholder engagement, and a major trackside activation during the FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix.
Organisations, experts and individuals across countries, sporting disciplines and sectors used their platforms to raise awareness, share experiences and demonstrate their commitment to safer online spaces.
The campaign brought together a broad coalition of organisations and individuals from across motorsport and beyond.
Alongside the Erasmus+ partner motor clubs and a wider network of leading clubs across Europe, the campaign connected organisations across continents, including those in the Bahamas, Mexico, South Africa, Seychelles and Bangladesh, reflecting the truly global scale of the movement.
A number of prominent voices from the motorsport community also helped amplify its message. These included Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing; Mariana Gertum
Becker, International broadcaster; and Carol Armstrong, International Motorsport Official and Marshal at Motorsport Australia, among many others.
Support extended well beyond motorsport, with a wide range of internationally recognised sports organisations contributing to the campaign. These included Peace and Sport, the World DanceSport Federation, the International Skating Union, the World Air Sports Federation, the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations, the International Federation for Sports Officials, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, Paris Basketball and the French National Olympic and Sports Committee.
Digital-safety and technology specialists also contributed valuable expertise. Organisations including Nisien.AI, Appeals Centre Europe and TrollWall AI helped highlight the role that technology, effective policies and practical tools can play in delivering concrete and actionable responses to online abuse.
Overall, till the time of this publication, a total of more than 65 different organizations across the globe supported the campaign and stood with FIA United Against Online Abuse. This diversity of participation reflected the central ambition of UAOA Day: to unite the entire sporting ecosystem around a challenge that no organisation, discipline or individual can address alone.
The UAOA Day Pratical Toolkit
Turning support into action
To make participation accessible and help organisations translate awareness into meaningful action, UAOA developed a comprehensive Practical Toolkit for the sporting community.
The toolkit included:
- official UAOA Day branding and visual assets;
- adaptable social media templates;
- suggested campaign messages and captions;
- guidance for organisations, clubs and individuals;
- multilingual campaign materials;
- practical resources supporting continued engagement beyond UAOA Day.
Designed for use across sports, countries and organisational contexts, the toolkit enabled stakeholders to take part in the campaign while adapting its message to their own communities and audiences.
It remains available as an open resource for organisations seeking to raise awareness, and support future UAOA initiatives throughout the year.
2026 FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix
Taking the campaign to the heart of global motorsport
The 2026 FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone provided the central stage for the inaugural UAOA Day campaign.
At one of the world’s most visible and influential sporting events, the campaign brought its message directly into the Formula 1 paddock, connecting its global digital reach with the athletes, leaders, teams, officials, media and institutions operating at the highest level of motorsport.
UAOA Day branding was integrated throughout key areas of the FIA operational environment and the Silverstone paddock, including:
- FIA Motorhomes;
- FIA Mobile Offices;
- Parc Fermé branding;
- campaign roll-up;
- wristbands and pins;
- prominent spaces encountered by teams, officials, media and guests throughout the race weekend.
2026 FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix
Taking the campaign to the heart of global motorsport
The 2026 FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone provided the central stage for the inaugural UAOA Day campaign.
At one of the world’s most visible and influential sporting events, the campaign brought its message directly into the Formula 1 paddock, connecting its global digital reach with the athletes, leaders, teams, officials, media and institutions operating at the highest level of motorsport.
Joing the campaign
UAOA Day takes place annually in July. Click here for a concise summary of all key UAOA Day information and how you can join the campaign in future.
But the work does not end here!
We welcome new long-term partnerships through the signatory of our charter indicating a commitment to our shared ambition. To enquire about partnering with the campaign, please get in touch with: Erin Bourke, Program Lead, at ebourke consultant@fia.com.
To learn more about online abuse, UAOA’s free Online Abuse in Sport module, developed in collaboration with Dublin City University and endorsed by the UAOA Coalition, provides an introduction to the growing digital threat across sport. Access the module here.
To express your interest in our webinar series, either as a guest speaker or an attendee, please contact gary.sinclair@dcu.ie and millie.beaton@unitedagainstonlineabuse.com.
Follow UAOA Day and the wider work of United Against Online Abuse through:
- UAOA LinkedIn;
- FIA Website;
- FIA Instagram;
- FIA President Instagram;
- Participating partner organizations.
Use the official campaign hashtags when sharing your support:
#UAOADay
#UnitedAgainstOnlineAbuse
#WordsMatterInSport
Contact
For questions or requests relating to UAOA Day, please contact:
Visual identity and campaign assets
Ella Hirsbunner
ehirsbunner-consultant@fia.com
UAOA project enquiries
Erin Bourke
uaoa@fia.com