Signify has a proven track record in the sector, conducting high-profile projects with leading organisations across international football, rugby, basketball, tennis, cricket, esports, and athletics.
Led by Loughborough University London’s Dr Lauren Burch from the Institute for Sport Business, the agreement includes the formation of a collective working group, dedicated to research and development in this space.
New research will include longitudinal examination of online abuse directed toward various sports stakeholders (e.g. athletes, match officials, organisations, staff), investigation into the link between online and in-stadium abuse, and the implications and practical application of the Online Safety Act 2023.
Colleagues from across the University will work collaboratively with Signify, providing safeguarding recommendations to sports organisations and its athletes. Signify employs Artificial Intelligence to provide online threat monitoring, identification, and analysis services to detect and protect against online abuse and threat in sport.
The partnership will also bring together combined panel presentations at industry conferences, as well as knowledge exchange events with key industry thought leaders and policy makers, building on Dr Burch’s previous research with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on safeguarding and online abuse.
Dr Lauren Burch said: “This valuable partnership will bring together industry-leading expertise in the detection and prevention of online abuse with academic expertise to further examine the mechanisms behind the rise in these types of abuse, leading to impactful and tangible change.”
Jake Marsh, Head of Sport at Signify Group added: “We are delighted to enter this partnership with Loughborough and tap into the University’s renowned academic expertise. Signify’s extensive work in this space makes us a leading authority on combatting online abuse and threat in sport – partnering with Loughborough will allow us to further strengthen our knowledge and capabilities, enhancing the long-term safeguards we aim to provide to athletes, officials and other stakeholders across sport.”
The partnership includes employment opportunities for Loughborough graduates within Signify’s Sport division with further research initiatives and joint studies planned over the coming months.
Signify’s specialist Threat Matrix service has been activated by organisations including World Athletics, player Unions like FIFPRO and International Federations in multiple sports. With a focus on proactively protecting athletes and officials from online harm, the service is also able to illuminate what the true picture looks like (in terms of volume, type, origin and triggers of abuse) whilst driving real-world action to develop and strengthen deterrents.
For more information on Loughborough University London visit www.lborolondon.ac.uk and for Signify visit www.signify.ai.