The recent harassment of Emma Raducanu serves as yet another stark reminder that women in sport remain uniquely vulnerable to abuse. During her match against Karolina Muchova, Raducanu was visibly distressed by the presence of a man in the crowd whose prior off-court behavior had already concerned her. She took the appropriate step by reporting it, yet the incident was sensationalized in the media.
Unfortunately, Raducanu’s experience is not an isolated one. Women in professional tennis have long been targeted by stalkers and harassers. Players like Katie Boulter and Danielle Collins have spoken openly about the unsettling reality of being followed, threatened, and made to feel unsafe both online and in person. Collins has admitted that this persistent danger affects how she interacts with fans, often leading her to appear more withdrawn in public.
Sloane Stephens once recounted how threats and harassment became so normalized that she almost didn’t take action when someone posted her address alongside a threat to visit her home. It was only at the urging of a fellow player that she reported it to authorities. This level of targeted abuse has, for many women in sport, become an unfortunate and expected part of their careers.
While these cases often draw attention due to their extreme nature, they are not isolated from the broader culture of online abuse that female athletes endure daily. Social media is filled with vitriol, much of it coming from disgruntled gamblers or individuals who feel entitled to belittle and demean women in sport. Many female athletes, particularly in tennis, football, and rugby, receive significantly more online abuse than their male counterparts. At the Tokyo Olympics, for instance, women were targeted in 85% of all cases of online harassment directed at athletes.
The increasing reliance on social media as a tool for visibility and financial support further exacerbates this issue. Female athletes are often expected to engage directly with fans, sharing personal aspects of their lives to promote their sports and attract sponsorships. While this can help grow their profiles, it also leaves them exposed to a constant wave of negativity, criticism, and outright threats. The burden of handling this hostility should not fall on them alone.
Some sporting organizations, such as the International Olympic Committee and FIFA, have introduced AI-driven monitoring systems to filter out online abuse during major events. While these measures help mitigate some of the worst harassment, they do not address the root cause of the problem—the deep-seated sexism that continues to permeate the sports world.
A report on violence against women in sport highlighted the systemic barriers that make tackling these issues difficult. Many federations prioritize the reputation of their sport and financial gains over the safety and well-being of their athletes. Scandals in various sports, from football to gymnastics, have shown how institutions often fail to hold perpetrators accountable.
The rapid rise in popularity of women’s sport has the potential to be a powerful force for gender equality, but it cannot be expected to fix the toxic culture embedded in the broader sporting landscape. Men’s sports still harbor elements of toxic masculinity, whether through aggressive fan behavior, dismissive attitudes toward female athletes, or the glorification of problematic figures. Until this culture is confronted, it will continue to fuel the cycle of abuse against women in sport.
The harassment faced by female athletes is not a new phenomenon, but it is one that demands urgent attention. If real change is to happen, it will require a concerted effort from sporting bodies, media outlets, and society as a whole to challenge these entrenched attitudes and ensure that women in sport are protected, respected, and supported.
