World Netball

In line with its ETHICAL values of Excellence, Teamwork, Heart, Integrity, Courage, Athletes and Leaders, World Netball (WN) has taken the decision to stop using the social media platform X.

This includes both the WN and Netball World Cup (NWC) accounts.

Since October 2022, hate speech on X has increased, with research showing a 50% increase seen in abuse for several months after 2022, including clear rises in homophobic, racist and transphobic abuse.

During recent international events WN has witnessed an increase in abuse towards various stakeholders within the game, and despite WN reporting comments and posts on X, they were not removed, like they were on other social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram.

WN recently joined International Sporting Federations and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) for the second year running in completing the industry-wide barometer survey, undertaken by the Untied Against Online Abuse (UAOA) campaign, to express grave concerns about the harmful effect that online abuse is having on sport, its competitors, officials and volunteers.

Other organisations that completed the survey included World Athletics, World Rowing, FIA, and International Tennis Federation.

The responses received reinforced WN’s decision to move away from X and paint a clear image of the challenging and aggressive social media environment that continues to exist in 2025.

WN was not alone in seeing an increase in abuse towards volunteers and officials, with 50% of federations that took part in the survey also noting that officials and volunteers are now routine targets of online abuse across all social media platforms.

According to the 2025 survey half of all identified abuse targeted towards competitors was classified as misogynistic or racist, a notable increase compared to 2024.

For the second year running more than 90% of respondents stated that they feared online abuse, if left unchallenged, had the potential to result in competitors withdrawing from participating in their sport altogether.

The research-led coalition aims to tackle the growing epidemic of online abuse and hate.

You can find the barometer survey findings, here.

WN is proud of its ETHICAL values and vision to make netball a sport that is open to all and therefore stands strongly against any form of abuse and will continue to work closely with social media platforms to ensure we protect our Netball Family.

You can still follow WN on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

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