Signify Delivers Online Safeguarding for the FEI
The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) has appointed Signify Group to provide comprehensive online safeguarding and threat assessment during the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026. This marks a significant step forward in protecting athletes, officials and the wider equestrian community from online abuse.
The partnership will see Signify's industry-leading Threat Matrix platform deployed throughout one of the biggest events in international equestrian sport, delivering proactive monitoring, investigation and response to online abuse and threats targeting riders, coaches, officials and key stakeholders across social media.
The initiative follows a successful pilot programme during the FEI World Cup Finals in Fort Worth earlier this year and reflects the FEI's growing commitment to safeguarding participants both on and off the field of play.
Protecting the entire championship ecosystem
During the Championships, Threat Matrix will provide real-time monitoring across major social media platforms, identifying abusive and threatening content directed at protected individuals and official competition channels.
Using Signify's combination of artificial intelligence, open-source intelligence and specialist investigators, the service will:
Proactively monitor online abuse and threats across major social media platforms.
Assess the severity of abusive content using a structured risk framework.
Investigate, via open source data, the identities of individuals responsible for the most serious abuse.
Gather evidential packages that can support action by the FEI, social media platforms or law enforcement where appropriate.
Enable athletes and officials to report abusive private messages for investigation.
Help remove harmful content while ensuring legitimate discussion and criticism remain unaffected.
In addition, riders, officials and National Federations will receive guidance and educational support on managing online risk before and during the Championships, helping participants better understand the digital landscape surrounding elite competition.
A growing movement across international sport
The FEI's decision reflects a broader shift taking place across global sport.
Safeguarding no longer begins and ends inside the venue. It increasingly extends into digital environments where athletes spend much of their professional and personal lives.
Forward-thinking governing bodies are recognising that protecting participants requires the same commitment online as it does in stadiums, arenas and training environments. By investing in proactive monitoring, evidence-led investigations and athlete education, organisations can better protect wellbeing while strengthening confidence across their sport.
The FEI's programme at Aachen represents another important milestone in that evolution.
Protecting athletes beyond the field of play
As major sporting events continue to attract global audiences and ever-increasing digital engagement, protecting participants online has become an essential component of athlete welfare.
Signify is proud to be working alongside multiple governing bodies, leagues and teams around the world to ensure that online abuse is identified, investigated and acted upon - helping sport create safer digital environments for everyone.
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