Team GB athletes at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics [Getty Images]Melissa Sharman - BBC Sport senior journalistThu, December 4, 2025 at 8:04 AM UTC·4 min readTeam GB Olympic and Paralympic athletes are being offered a new form of artificial intelligence-based protection from online abuse.
UK Sport, the body that funds Olympic and Paralympic sports, has signed a contract worth more than £300,000 to give thousands of athletes access to an app that detects and hides abusive posts sent by other users on social media.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAthletes are able to sign up for free and can protect their accounts throughout the Games cycle up to Los Angeles 2028.
"The level of abuse our athletes are facing online is unacceptable - to do nothing about this is not an option", UK Sport director of performance Kate Baker said about a deal that is the first of its kind in British sport.
How are athletes protected?
The app, called Social Protect, uses AI to try to ensure athletes see as few abusive messages sent their way as possible.
It automatically scans incoming social media posts on platforms including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube in real time, searching for over two million abusive words and phrases within its database.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAny messages containing the terms are automatically hidden from comment sections or replies to athletes, who can also add any words or phrases of their own that they find upsetting.
The company's founder Shane Britten compares the app to anti-virus software that operates unnoticed in the background.
"The aim is to keep the comment section clean of racism, hatred, scams - of all the horrible things that can exist on social media," he said.
But the software is not flawless. The contract UK Sport has paid for does not include social platform X, formerly known as Twitter, which a BBC Sport investigation found is the source of 82% of abuse sent to football managers and players.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe terms of the deal also mean the system is only able to scan posts which are made publicly - abusive direct messages sent to athletes will still be visible.
Some services can block offensive direct messages, but they require users to submit their private log-in details to external companies, and are typically more expensive.
How does abuse impact athletes?
Athletes across all sports have faced abuse since the rise of social media began in the mid 2000s.
Three-time Olympic badminton athlete Kirsty Gilmour has endured death and rape threats during her career, often from gamblers betting on her matches.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHaving feared for her safety on occasions, and even involving the FBI in a previous investigation into abusive social media posts against her, Gilmour feels reassured by the offer of new protection.
"It feels empowering and like a real force field around my little corner of the internet," the 32-year-old said.
"They send things like 'I know where you live', or 'I know where you'll be'. And if I'm in Asia or somewhere which is a little unfamiliar to me, that's a bit scary. You feel exposed.
"The rape and the death threats are not good, but the more difficult ones are the ones that go after my career - 'you're terrible at your job', 'you should quit', 'you should retire'.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"They might not contain any swearing, but they hurt. With the app, I can hide words that might seem innocuous which I want to avoid."
"If we can nip it in the bud from even one person, then hopefully we could stop them potentially doing more harm to other people."
Gilmour is a five-time silver medallist in the women's singles at the European championships [Getty Images]What is the aim?
High-profile athletes such as British tennis player Katie Boulter and England defender Jess Carter have spoken openly about online abuse and its impact on their mental wellbeing and performance.
UK Sport says the level of social media abuse in modern sport has driven the need to offer a higher level of support to their athletes - not just during the Games time, but throughout the long build-up.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementUK Sport taking out this deal is an example of sports clubs and bodies taking its own action in response to what it views as the apathy of social media companies.
The app's shielding service will be also be offered to coaches, staff and family members of the athletes involved, and will be used around major domestic events hosted by UK Sport.
"This agreement sits right at the heart of our commitment to ensure athletes have the right support to be the best version of themselves on and off the field of play", Baker added.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story you can visit BBC Action Line.
