The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile’s (FIA) United Against Online Abuse (UAOA) campaign has secured €400,000 in funding under the European Union’s Erasmus+ Programme signifying a major vote of confidence from the European Union in the coalition.

The funding acknowledges the campaign's global leadership in combatting online abuse in sport and will entrust UAOA to lead a transformative project to tackle online harm in sport across the EU.
 
Supported by the FIA Foundation, UAOA submitted a detailed and compelling proposal to the European Union before being selected as one of fewer than 100 successful projects out of nearly 2,000 applicants. Achieving an impressive evaluation score of 87 out of 100, this reflects the project’s importance while cementing the UAOA’s position as the leading global authority in the research and tackling of online abuse in sport.

The Erasmus+ funding will enable UAOA to develop and implement an innovative framework to address the increasing prevalence of online abuse targeting athletes, officials, and fans. The initiative will bring together cutting-edge research, educational initiatives and advocacy work to foster inclusivity, safety, and respect across the European sporting ecosystem. 
 
Project Highlights:

• Research, Education, and Awareness: Conduct empirical studies at a national level in native languages, launch the first EU-wide campaign against online abuse in sport, and develop educational tools, including a micro-credential in online safety. 
• Safeguarding and Capacity Building: Create a critical incident framework, enhance organisational expertise, and provide training to sports stakeholders to combat online harm effectively. 
• Technology-Driven Solutions: Use AI-powered strategies for targeted social media interventions and develop digital tools to address and prevent online abuse. 
• Inclusivity and Collaboration: Focus on protecting vulnerable groups while fostering partnerships with governments, NGOs, and sports federations across Europe to drive systemic change. 

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President and Founder of UAOA, said:
“This funding is a monumental achievement for the FIA and the UAOA campaign, representing a decisive step forward in our mission to create a safer digital environment for everyone involved in sport.

“With the support of the European Union through its Erasmus+ programme, this world-leading project will deliver meaningful, transformative and lasting change.
 
“Sport is a unifying force, and the online space should reflect this. By combatting online harm through innovation and collaboration, we are ensuring that the values of integrity and inclusion remain at the heart of sport. I am grateful to our partners across Europe for their shared commitment to this critical issue and look forward to working with them over the coming years.”

Erin Bourke, UAOA Project Leader, said:
“The Erasmus+ funding is a recognition of the great strides the UAOA campaign has made in such a short time since its inception. The European Union has recognised the critical need to tackle online abuse in sport and we are honoured that they have entrusted UAOA to implement such a comprehensive, European-wide project.

“UAOA’s application sets out how this project will equip athletes, officials, and fans with the tools and support they need to navigate the online world safely whilst working with governments, platforms and regulators to ensure the best structures and frameworks are in place. We are proud to lead this initiative and look forward to working with our partners to help create a digital space where respect and inclusivity in sport thrives.”

Running from January 2025 to January 2027, the UAOA project will be implemented and overseen by leading anti-online abuse organisations and FIA Member Clubs from six EU countries. The FIA (France) will act as the project coordinator.

Four FIA Member Clubs will provide practical and material support to the project:

• Autoklub České republiky (Czechia)
• Zveza za avto sport Slovenije - AS SLO (Slovenia)
• Real Federación Española de Automovilismo (Spain)
• Svenska Bilsportförbundet (Sweden)

The programme will also draw upon legal expertise and guidance from Clark Hill LLP (Ireland).

This project is a significant milestone for the UAOA campaign, firmly establishing it as the leading global coalition against online abuse in sport. Bringing together sports federations, national governments, regulatory bodies, and technology platforms, UAOA aims to foster regulatory and behavioural change to combat the rise of online harassment and hate speech. Since its inception in 2023, UAOA has published pioneering research, launched international campaigns, and convened key stakeholders to promote safer, more inclusive digital spaces.

To date, the UAOA coalition has welcomed endorsements from the Governments of Greece, France, Slovenia, Albania, Australia, Kenya, Costa Rica, Namibia and Rwanda, alongside sport federations and organisations such as FIM, the International Esports Federation, ASETEK SimSports, Peace and Sport Monaco, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, Clark Hill LLP, Arwen.AI and DCU University.