Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of life in various aspects. One of its most important uses has been on the security front.
The ATP has revealed that its AI-powered Safe Sport initiative blocked more than 162,000 instances of severe online abuse directed at male tennis players during its first year of operation.
The AI-backed system was launched in July 2024, to monitor and filter harmful messages sent to the top 250 men’s singles players and top 50 doubles players across major social media platforms.
According to the ATP, the AI scanned over 3.1 million comments in real time, automatically hiding abusive messages before players could see them.
“Safe Sport creates a healthier online environment, free from hateful comments and negative messages,” said Serbian player Dusan Lajovic, a member of the ATP Player Advisory Council. “This way, my social media presence is defined by who I am, not by my performance on the court.”
Abuse Linked to Gambling
Research from tennis authorities indicates that a significant portion of online abuse stems from angry gamblers, often lashing out at players following match losses. While online hostility has long plagued women’s tennis, recent years have shown male players are equally vulnerable.
Former world No. 3 Elina Svitolina recently shared that she received death threats after losing to Naomi Osaka in Montreal, blaming what she called “shameful” behavior from disgruntled bettors. British No. 2 Katie Boulter also spoke out in June about the appearance-based abuse she regularly receives- especially during Grand Slam events.
Widespread and Escalating Threats
The ATP reported that more than 1 in 10 social media comments aimed at players were abusive. In the most extreme cases, up to 50% of comments on an athlete’s posts were toxic.
Beyond automated moderation, the ATP took further action:
- 3,300+ messages were escalated for investigation.
- 68 perpetrators were identified.
- 28 cases were referred to law enforcement agencies.
“While it won’t eliminate abuse overnight, it’s our first line of defence,” said Andrew Azzopardi, ATP Director of Safeguarding. “Safeguarding player wellbeing is a long-term commitment.”
Also Read: Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Sports – Brief Discussion
Other Online Threats
While the current focus is on social media platforms, the ATP said the Safe Sport initiative will soon expand to tackle:
- Email threats
- Impersonation and identity fraud
- Scams and phishing attempts
- AI-generated deepfakes
The governing body also stated plans to improve incident response protocols and advocate for greater accountability from tech platforms in protecting public figures from digital harassment.
As online abuse grows more sophisticated and widespread, ATP’s Safe Sport initiative is setting a precedent- using technology not just to police the problem, but to proactively shield athletes and promote healthier digital spaces.
