FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem Leads Fight Against Online Abuse, Bringing Global Leaders Together in Stockholm

The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motorsport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, has welcomed industry experts and thought leaders to Stockholm, Sweden, for the second global United Against Online Abuse (UAOA) conference.

Bringing together voices from the world of sport, politics, and social media, the coalition reaffirmed their collective commitment to combatting online abuse, welcoming new members and sharing knowledge, innovation, and tools to accelerate progress in tackling this digital threat.

Joined by high-profile attendees united in UAOA’s mission of eradicating online hate and creating a safer digital environment, FIA President and UAOA Founder, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, opened the conference stating: “We are united by one goal: to protect sport from online abuse. As a force for good it inspires us, brings us together, and teaches us respect, teamwork, and discipline.

“Our community is growing – more athletes, more fans, more volunteers, more officials. But with this growth comes risk, and we must protect our community. This conference is not simply a meeting of minds; it is a declaration of our common purpose. Together we learn, build new alliances, and strengthen our voices. Together we will deliver lasting change.”

Launched in 2023 and supported by the FIA Foundation, the UAOA campaign seeks to drive both regulatory and behavioural change in response to the growing threat of online harassment. In the last two years, UAOA has released groundbreaking research, spearheaded global awareness campaigns, and brought together key stakeholders to promote respectful and inclusive digital spaces.

During the conference, the coalition welcomed two new charter signatories, Signify Group and the International Federation for Sport Officials (IFSO), joining over 70 partners including global governments and industry organisations who have already committed to this important cause.

Ben Sulayem said: “The FIA launched the United Against Online Abuse campaign to protect athletes, officials, volunteers and fans from digital harm. To win this battle it requires a combined global approach across sports, tech, government and academia, united behind a common mission. We are very excited to welcome Signify and IFSO and their pioneering work in this field to our coalition as they will strengthen our ability to combine research, regulation and innovation in driving meaningful change worldwide.”

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

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For media inquiries, please contact:

• Geraldine Sherwin, Director of Presidential & Mobility Communications: gsherwin@fia.com
• Joe Kidd, Presidential Communications Officer: jkidd@fia.com

About United Against Online Abuse (UAOA)

The United Against Online Abuse campaign, founded by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and supported by the FIA Foundation, is a global coalition committed to tackling online harm in sport. Through research, advocacy, and collaboration with sports organisations, governments, and technology platforms, UAOA is driving change to protect the digital environment for all participants in sport. In 2024 the FIA won Peace and Sport’s Coalition for Peace Award in recognition of the work UAOA continues to undertake.

About the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA)

The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) is the governing body for world motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations globally. It is a non-profit organisation committed to driving innovation and championing safety, sustainability and equality across motor sport and mobility.

Founded in 1904, with offices in Paris, London and Geneva, the FIA brings together 245 Member Organisations across five continents, representing millions of road users, motor sport professionals and volunteers. It develops and enforces regulations for motor sport, including seven FIA World Championships, to ensure worldwide competitions are safe and fair for all.