The International Badminton Federation has signed a partnership with Signify Group to better protect badminton players from online abuse. A cornerstone of this collaboration, the Threat Matrix program will help identify and combat messages aimed at players, coaches and officialsAthletes and officials are encouraged to report abusive messages directly to the BWF Integrity Unit. Signify will analyze these reports, assess their severity, and forward serious cases to its specialists for further investigation.
« When behavior is likely to constitute a criminal offense, Signify will compile evidence files that will be handed over to law enforcement or to social media platforms, explains the BWFThe company will also develop educational materials to help athletes and national federations better manage online abuse and improve their personal digital security. »
BWF and Signify are already working on a specific case, made difficult by the fact that the author of the messages has hidden or locked their accounts. This shows why the BWF urges players, coaches, officials and staff to Report incidents immediately and privately to the integrity unit rather than making them public. Thanks to this new partnership, the BWF now has the necessary tools to accurately identify the authors and prepare complete files of evidence to be submitted to the platforms or the relevant authorities. »
« This partnership strengthens our ability to respond in a structured and meaningful way to online abuse, says BWF Secretary General Thomas Lund. By combining education, reporting mechanisms, and support for investigations, we not only ensure that those who cross online boundaries can be identified and held accountable, but we also empower our stakeholders the tools needed to better protect oneself, while sending a clear message to the public: this type of behavior is not tolerated in our sport. "Signify already collaborates with the UCI, the FIS, World Rugby and the IIHF."
