Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), has welcomed the Government of Georgia to the Federation’s growing United Against Online Abuse coalition.
Georgia’s Minister of Sport, Mr Shalva Gogoladze, formally signed the United Against Online Abuse (UAOA) Charter during a meeting with Ben Sulayem, held over the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix weekend.
Georgia has joined a united and influential coalition of governments, sporting bodies and technology platforms committed to combating online harassment and hate speech across the sporting world.
It becomes the tenth national government to join the coalition, committing to work in close partnership with the UAOA campaign to confront the rise of online hate and its damaging impact on mental health, participation, and the integrity of sport.
During their meeting, Ben Sulayem and Mr Gogoladze discussed the Minister’s commitment to protecting athletes and safe sports, as well as his ‘Start to Talk’ campaign on the reporting of harassment and abuse.
As part of UAOA’s work to shape effective policies and strategies to address online abuse, the campaign looks forward to collaborating with Georgia, exchanging best practices, and strengthening cooperation through evidence sharing at UAOA events and conferences.
UAOA was founded by Ben Sulayem in 2022 as a new initiative by the FIA, the governing body for world motorsport and the federation for mobility organisations globally.
Ben Sulayem said: “I am delighted to welcome the Government of Georgia to the United Against Online Abuse coalition. This endorsement underscores Georgia’s leadership in recognising online abuse as a serious threat to the future of sport. Together we are building a strong, global alliance that will deliver meaningful change and make sport a safer space for everyone.”
Mr Shalva Gogoladze said: “Georgia is honoured to stand with our international partners in the fight against online abuse in sport. Signing the United Against Online Abuse Charter reflects our unwavering commitment to promoting safety, respect, and mental wellbeing for all athletes, coaches, officials and fans.
“We are proud to support this global movement established by the FIA and to play our part in creating a sporting culture that thrives on safety and inclusivity, both on and off the field.”
The FIA’s UAOA campaign is a research-led coalition supported by the FIA Foundation. The campaign has witnessed rapid growth in recent months and was recently awarded Peace and Sport’s prestigious Coalition for Peace award in recognition of its world-leading efforts building a formidable campaign driving meaningful change.
To date, the UAOA coalition has welcomed endorsements from the Governments of Greece, France, Slovenia, Albania, Australia, Kenya, Costa Rica, Namibia and Rwanda, alongside organisations such as ARISF who represent one million athletes.
