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Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Toxic social media threats raise alarm: How betting culture is fueling targeted hate against female athletes?
Coco Gauff and Katie Boulter. Image via: Charly Triballeau/AFP | AFP via Getty Images In the digital age, where athletes connect with fans and followers in real-time, a dark side is emerging, particularly for female athletes. A dangerous mix of legalized sports betting and unchecked social media abuse is leaving players vulnerable to relentless hate, threats, and harassment. The women in sport are increasingly becoming the scapegoats of gamblers' losses. Of course, it's not limited to one sport, as the disturbing trends emerging across tennis, football, and track, the urgency to act is growing louder. Coco Gauff, Katie Boulter are among the tennis stars to address the horrifying issue, but certainly, it's not limited to one sport alone. Women's football stars Alessia Russo and Lauren James have also raised similar concerns in recent days. Coco Gauff urges accountability from social media platforms amid disturbing abuse trend Coco Gauff. Image via: Getty Images World No. 2 Coco Gauff spoke her mind without hesitation when asked about the state of online abuse in women's tennis. 'It's the worst you can get,' she said during the German Open in Berlin. 'Death threats, to your family, to yourself… racist comments… n*dity—things like that. It's a gross kind of thing that we have going on in tennis.' According to the WTA's latest report, in collaboration with the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and tech company Signify Group, more than 8,000 abusive or threatening messages were sent to female tennis players in 2024 alone, many of them stemming from angry gamblers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Forget Furosemide, Use This Household Item To Help Drain Edema Fluid WellnessGuide Learn more Undo Law enforcement had to get involved in 15 cases. Alarmingly, five players received over 25% of the abuse, and 40% of the threats were betting-related. Gauff acknowledged that players have grown used to such toxicity, but she urged that it shouldn't mean it's acceptable. Also, there's this harsh lingering issue, 'You can block [abusers], but they just go and make a new account,' she said, calling for social media platforms to ban repeat offenders using identifiers like phone numbers and emails. Katie Boulter reveals death threats from losing bettors Katie Boulter. Image via: Nathan Stirk/ Getty Images British No. 1 Katie Boulter's recent French Open win was marred by an avalanche of hate. Despite winning her match, messages flooded her inbox: 'Hope you get cancer,' read one. Another warned of damage to her grandmother's grave. A third explicitly blamed her for lost gambling money. 'These things have become the norm,' Boulter told BBC Sport. She showed how damaging such abuse can be, especially for younger players. 'You don't know if this person is nearby… or if they know where you live,' she added, speaking to the growing fear athletes face beyond just their careers. Data from Signify revealed that 77% of private message abuse received by players came from gamblers. Alessia Russo and Lauren James speak out as footballers go offline for safety The crisis extends beyond tennis. England striker Alessia Russo shared that she and many of her Lionesses teammates are now avoiding social media entirely during major tournaments to protect their mental health. It's 'damaging,' she said. 'I got sucked into it more when I was younger,' she said. Now, she prefers to have others manage her Instagram so she can focus on football. Her teammate, Chelsea's Lauren James, echoed similar sentiments. 'The abuse never really stops,' James admitted. 'Sometimes, it's not even about my performance. It could be because someone lost at FIFA with my card.' WTA and ITF call for gambling industry accountability The WTA and ITF are now urging gambling operators to step up. In 2024, 10 of the most abusive social media accounts, mostly linked to bettors, were responsible for 12% of all threats. A WTA-ITF spokesperson stated, 'Given the clear evidence… we are calling for a constructive dialogue with the gambling industry.' Although betting revenue supports tech like Threat Matrix, used to identify and hide abusive content, the organizations insist that ethical responsibility must outweigh commercial gain. 'Everyone—betting operators, social media platforms, governing bodies, players and law enforcers—has a role in making the online space safer,' the spokesperson added. Bettor abuse has been a major concern for athletes, and it's not waning This pattern of abuse is surfacing across sports. Olympic sprinter Gabby Thomas was heckled by a man who later boasted online about it after winning a bet; he was subsequently banned from FanDuel. In England, 13% of all sports gamblers wager on tennis, and 16% spend over £200 monthly, suggesting a high emotional investment when bets go wrong. In the U.S., the NCAA revealed that 12% of social media threats during March Madness were gambling-related, some even targeting student-athletes and referees. Also Read: Will Jeanie Buss Stay in Charge of the Lakers Despite $10 Billion Sale to Mark Walter? Exploring Los Angeles' New Era As sports betting becomes more accessible, especially online, its side effects are becoming harder to ignore. For many female athletes, the price of fame now includes death threats, stalking, and emotional trauma— all because someone lost a bet. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
The Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Spectator treated for injuries as PANEL falls from above and loud bang heard in arena during Alexander Zverev clash
A TENNIS fan was taken to hospital after a stadium panel collapsed and landed on her during Alexander Zverev's match at Halle earlier today. Zverev, 28, was taking on American Marcos Giron in front of a home German crowd. 5 5 5 With Giron about to serve at 2-5 15-30 in the first set, a loud bang and subsequent yelling could be heard from the crowd. It scarily emerged that an advertising panel had fallen from the front of the upper tier onto the lower seats. Zverev and umpire Renaud Lichtenstein approached the stands offering an ice pack. The tournament went on to confirm that a 62-year-old spectator had been taken to hospital following the frightening incident. But thankfully, the woman did not suffer any major injuries. Tournament director Ralf Weber said: "Something like this has never happened in our 32-year tournament history. We deeply regret the incident." Weber personally visited the spectator in hospital, and offered her a complimentary season ticket for next year's event. Event managers Dr Udo Kleine and Uwe Greipel-Dominik later revealed how they felt the incident had taken place. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 5 A joint statement said: "We suspect that the drumming against the cushions caused screws to come loose. "This should not happen, and we apologise. We will also check all other cushions and their fastenings immediately after the Zverev match. The safety of our spectators is our top priority." 'Please stay away from me' - Alexander Zverev swipes at Taylor Fritz in X-rated rant after Stuttgart Open final Following a safety check, the contest was able to continue, with world No3 Zverev winning 6-2 6-1. The 6ft 6in German will take on Italy's Lorenzo Sonego in tomorrow's round of 16. Last week Zverev reached the final of the ATP 250 event in Stuttgart, only to lose to rival Taylor Fritz. In his runner-up speech on court, spiky Zverev joked: "Last but not least, Taylor, I'm f***ing tired of you. 'I don't wanna see you again over the next two to three years. "Please stay away from me. Don't come to Germany anymore. "No, well done you deserve to win this title. "You are one of the best players in the world on this surface and you were much better than me today, so congrats to the whole team and I'm sure you are going to do incredible on the next two tournaments on grass, so well done." 5
DW
3 days ago
- Sport
- DW
Coco Gauff calls on social media platforms to tackle abuse – DW – 06/18/2025
After women's professional tennis organizers the WTA detailed abuse against nearly 500 female players, French Open champion Coco Gauff says more action needs to be taken against online abusers. Coco Gauff, the world No. 2 tennis player, has called on social media companies to do more to tackle online abuse, describing the comments she receives as "gross." On Tuesday, the WTA Tour, which runs women's tennis, released a report that laid out the widespread abuse aimed at players online. The report noted that much of the abuse came from disgruntled gamblers, with 15 cases so serious that law enforcement was involved. Data provided by tech company Signify Group, which was detected using AI, revealed that there were around 8,000 "abusive, violent or threatening" comments sent to 458 players in 2024. More than a quarter of the abuse was received by just five players. Speaking at the German Open in Berlin, Gauff said it was a "given" that players had to deal with online abuse. "It's the worst you can get," she said. "Death threats, to your family, to yourself. I've had people DM [direct message] my boyfriend and friends about it. Racist comments, like all you can imagine. Nudity, things like that. It's a gross kind of thing that we have going on in tennis." Pleas made to bookmakers and social media companies In its report, published with the International Tennis Federation, the WTA called on the gambling industry to take action against the individuals behind the abuse. But Gauff emphasized that social media companies should also play their part. "It's something that we have to keep bringing awareness to," she said. "I would love for some of the social media platforms to get involved, not only when it comes to tennis players. Influencers, other athletes, they all get these comments, so it's something that can be addressed. "I know the WTA is doing what they can to make us feel protected, but I definitely think that a lot of these platforms can step in as well." Asked by DW whether she was confident things could change, Gauff said: "I feel like they can." "I think TikTok does a better job of filtering comments, so you don't really see it," she added. "But Instagram is, for me, the worst with the comment filtering. I see basically everything on there. I try to do it on my own account, to filter certain words, but people get creative and spell it out in different ways. Lines can blur between virtual and physical "For me, it's more about banning these accounts and banning people with the same phone number or email from making new accounts. You can block [them], but they just go and make a new account. There has to be a way to fix that system." It also emerged on Tuesday that a man accused of stalking British tennis player Emma Raducanu had been stopped from buying tickets for Wimbledon, the next Grand Slam tournament of the year. Gauff suggested that she had never experienced anything "threatening," but admitted that someone had tried to follow her home once. In Berlin, security guards are present behind the players' benches on court, with security also in attendance during Gauff's press conference. Image: Susan Mullane/IMAGO Meanwhile, the 21-year-old told DW that she had accepted an apology from Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1, after Sabalenka's comments following her defeat to Gauff in the French Open final earlier this month. Sabalenka had claimed that Gauff won "not because she played incredible, but because I made all of those mistakes" — a reference to her 70 unforced errors in the final. "She texted me two or maybe three days ago, she sent a text apologizing" Gauff said. "I understand things can get emotional and things can be said. I definitely appreciate the fact that she reached out because I was a little bit surprised by the whole thing. It's dirt under a rug and we should all move on." Edited by: Matt Pearson
UPI
4 days ago
- Sport
- UPI
Aryna Sabalenka pens apology to Coco Gauff after French Open slight
June 17 (UPI) -- Top-ranked tennis star Aryna Sabalenka said she regrets slighting Coco Gauff after losing to her in the 2025 French Open final and wrote an apology letter to the American to address the issue. Sabalenka spoke about the matter during an interview published Tuesday by Eurosport. The Belarusian led Gauff early on, but emotionally unraveled in the June 7 loss in Paris. She went on to complain about the wind and playing conditions. Sabalenka -- who totaled 70 unforced errors -- told reporters that she didn't think Gauff won the match "because she played incredible," but because she made "all those mistakes." She also said she thought that Iga Swiatek, who she beat in the semifinals, would have beaten Gauff. "It was completely unprofessional of me," Sabalenka told Eurosport. "I let my emotions get the better of me. I absolutely regret what I said at the time. You know, we all make mistakes. I'm just a human being who is still learning in life. "I think we all have those days when we lose control. But what I also want to say is that I wrote to Coco afterward -- not immediately, but recently." Gauff, who captured her second Grand Slam singles crown, told reporters that she didn't agree that Swiatek would have beaten her in the final. She later told other outlets that she was surprised by the comments, but would give the Belarusian "the benefit of the doubt." Sabalenka and Gauff top the WTA rankings. They will both play Round of 16 matchups at the German Open on Wednesday in Berlin. The grass-court tournament serves as a warmup for Wimbledon. "I was a little bit surprised by the comments," Gauff said on an ESPN broadcast. "But at the end of the day, what happened, happened. I won because I earned that win. We both had to play in the wind. "We both had to play in those conditions. ... The difference was I was able to recognize that and find a different way to try to win that match." Coco Gauff wins French Open
New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Aryna Sabalenka calls her French Open final comments about Coco Gauff ‘unprofessional'
Aryna Sabalenka has said she 'absolutely regrets' the 'completely unprofessional' comments she made after losing the French Open final to Coco Gauff, adding that she has apologized to the American. In her on-court interview and post-match news conference, Sabalenka, the world No. 1, repeatedly described her own performance as 'terrible' and referred to the 'terrible conditions,' on court, particularly the strong wind. She claimed that Gauff, the world No. 2, had gotten lucky with shots that she had mishit but that landed in. Advertisement 'She was hitting the ball from the frame. Somehow, magically, the ball lands in the court,' Sabalenka said. 'It felt like a joke, like somebody from above was just staying there laughing, like, 'Let's see if you can handle this.' 'She won the match not because she played incredible, just because I made all of those mistakes, from if you look from the outside, from easy balls.' Sabalenka even claimed that Iga Świątek, whom she had beaten in the semifinals, would have defeated Gauff in the final. When this was put to Gauff soon after, she said: 'I mean, I don't agree with that. I'm here sitting here.' Sabalenka was heavily criticised for her comments, and in an interview with Eurosport Germany ahead of the German Open in Berlin, she said: 'It was just completely unprofessional of me. I let my emotions get the better of me. I absolutely regret what I said back then. 'I think we all have those days when we lose control. The difference with me is: the world is watching. I get a lot more hate for what I did afterwards than other people. But what I also want to say is that I wrote to Coco afterwards — not immediately, but recently. 'I wanted to apologize and make sure she knew she absolutely deserved to win the tournament and that I respect her. I never intended to attack her. I was super emotional and not very smart at that press conference.' Sabalenka will play her first match of grass season Wednesday, against Switzerland's Rebeka Masarova. The German Open is her warm-up event for Wimbledon, a tournament that she has never won, but that she will enter as a favorite to win the title. Sabalenka, who missed last year's event because of a shoulder injury, has lost in the final of both Grand Slams in 2025, as well as the Indian Wells final. She has also won three titles this year, and holds a lead of almost 3,500 points over Gauff at the top of the WTA Tour rankings.
