French Open Offers Players Protection against Online Harassment

FILE - A sunset over the Philippe Chatrier courts during the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Monday, June 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
FILE - A sunset over the Philippe Chatrier courts during the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Monday, June 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
TT

French Open Offers Players Protection against Online Harassment

FILE - A sunset over the Philippe Chatrier courts during the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Monday, June 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
FILE - A sunset over the Philippe Chatrier courts during the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Monday, June 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)

French Open organizers are giving all players access to an online tool meant to protect them from cyberbullying and harassment on social media.
The French tennis federation said Monday the technology developed by a French company will be made available to all players taking part in this year's clay-court Grand Slam tournament. The software uses artificial intelligence to filter comments posted to social media accounts and block those that are deemed toxic or abusive, The Associated Press reported.
It said the tool "aims to preserve the players, their mental health, the values of sport and tennis and to banish people who come to spread their aggression and hatred on social networks.”
“Tennis being one of the sports most affected by this scourge, athletes can thus be victims in a direct or indirect way,” the federation added.
Players and tennis officials can opt to connect their social networks to the technology, developed by the Bodyguard.ai company, before the tournament and keep it in place for at least one week after it ends. Play in the main draw begins May 28 at Roland Garros.
“This way, they won’t receive any derogatory comments,” the French federation said. “It is an AI that performs moderation in real time. The comment is analyzed in less than 200 milliseconds. A team of linguists creates word structures to update the technology in real time from what is posted on social networks to generate a contextual analysis. The goal is to ensure that nothing is missed, while making sure that nothing is censored.”
The different platforms monitored are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok and Discord.
“The mental health of players is a priority issue for the French Open," French federation director Caroline Flaissier said. “There is no place for any form of violence in our tournament.”



European Leagues, Union Appeal to EU Against FIFA over Crowded Calendar

FILE PHOTO: A long exposure shows FIFA's logo near its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland February 27, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A long exposure shows FIFA's logo near its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland February 27, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo/File Photo
TT

European Leagues, Union Appeal to EU Against FIFA over Crowded Calendar

FILE PHOTO: A long exposure shows FIFA's logo near its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland February 27, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A long exposure shows FIFA's logo near its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland February 27, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo/File Photo

The European Leagues umbrella body, FIFPRO players' union and Spain's LaLiga plan to file a joint complaint to the EU on Monday against global governing body FIFA over the ballooning soccer calendar.
Elite clubs are increasingly concerned at the impact of expanding schedules on wellbeing of players, some of whom say they are struggling with the physical and psychological strain despite the enormous salaries they can earn, Reuters reported.
The three organizations’ appeal to EU antitrust regulators, first announced in July, presents yet another challenge to FIFA. Two weeks ago, Europe's top court ruled that FIFA's player transfer regulations breach EU laws following a challenge by former player Lassana Diarra from France.
Disgruntled athletes and sports bodies have increasingly turned to the EU antitrust enforcer to help secure a level playing field and chip away at the power of governing bodies.
European Leagues, FIFPRO and LaLiga say the international match calendar, including an expanded Champions League and Club World Cup, has become unsustainable for national leagues and a health risk for players.
They accuse FIFA of abusing its market power.
FIFA says the calendar was unanimously approved by its council after a comprehensive consultation, including FIFPRO and league bodies.
The European Commission, which acts as the competition enforcer for the 27-country bloc, can order companies to stop anti-competitive practices and also fine them.