IOC's Athletes' Commission condemns abuse hurled at athletes during Paris Olympics
The International Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission has issued a statement about the abuse, harassment and attacks directed at athletes and their entourages during the Paris Olympics. The Paris Games ended on August 11, and the 16-day long quadrennial event witnessed not only numerous heroics but also abuses on social media.
The IOC Athletes' Commission reported over 8500 targeted abusive posts and decided to take further action. Online abuse has become increasingly common with the growing influence of social media in people's lives. The same hurts not only the athletes but also demotivates them at times. While there were instances of abuse directed at the members of the Indian contingent, it is unclear whether the same were identified by the IOC Athletes' Commission.
The statement read:
"It is deeply troubling that we have also witnessed a significant volume of harassment, abuse and attacks, in particular online, aimed at athletes and their entourage members. Far too many athletes have been subjected to these attacks, despite having given their absolute best on the field of play and fully respecting the rules of their events."
The posts on social media were detected by Artificial Intelligence, a growing trend in the modern world. An AI-powered system was implemented to detect online abuses and over 8500 posts have been identified regarding which further action was called upon.
The IOC Athletes' Commission further wrote:
"As athlete representatives, we condemn, in the strongest terms, all forms of attack and harassment, regardless of the opinions one might hold about particular decisions. We wholeheartedly extend our full sympathy and support to the athletes and individuals affected by this unacceptable behaviour. These athletes deserve far more respect for what they have achieved.”
Some Indian athletes who were attacked
Speaking of the Indian contingent at the Paris Olympics, Deepika Kumari and Vinesh Phogat were particularly targeted by online trolls and abuse. Kumari was trolled for her poor outing in the team event (archery), while Phogat's disqualification was celebrated by some on social media.
Online abuse is something that is not expected from the country's people, especially when their athletes are representing the flag at the highest stage.