All participants in the World Cup will have the opportunity to purge their social media of discriminatory or offensive comments. Thanks to world football association FIFA and players’ union FIFPro, internationals have access to a special service that minimizes the visibility of such expressions. With this, both authorities want to protect both players and their fans against online abuse during the World Cup.
FIFA and FIFPro want to tackle discrimination and protect the mental health and well-being of players with the so-called SMPS (social media protection service).
“FIFA wants to provide the best possible conditions for players to perform optimally. We are pleased to launch a service that helps protect players from the harmful effects that social media posts can have,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Former Brazil international Willian supports the launch of the service. After returning to his homeland as a Corinthians player, he faced digital threats to his family. “My family and I have suffered a lot, so I support this service to see if this kind of abuse can be stopped,” said Willian, who was forced to return to England where he now plays for Fulham.