ASICS is taking a bold leap to protect athletes’ mental health by launching a daring new initiative aimed squarely at fighting online abuse—a challenge that Eilish McColgan knows all too well from her time at the top of elite sport.
In collaboration with data science company Signify, the brand is launching an AI-powered tool called Threat Matrix to protect athletes from the persistent cyberbullying that, regrettably, has become an inevitable aspect of competing globally.
By bringing in advanced cybersecurity tools during major sporting events, ASICS is doing more than just reacting to the growing wave of online abuse—it’s giving athletes the freedom to connect with their fans without fear.
This move forms part of the brand’s wider ‘Mind and Body Athlete Support Programme’, a thoughtful, all-round approach that champions both physical and mental wellbeing, while also backing clean sport from the ground up.
At the forefront of this campaign is Threat Matrix—a state-of-the-art, AI-powered tool engineered to detect and neutralize online abuse before it even starts.
Imagine it as a digital guardian, enabling athletes to stay focused on their performance while the distractions fade into the background. This exemplifies ASICS’ holistic approach to sports, prioritising mental health over winning.
Olivier Mignon, Global Head of Sports Marketing at ASICS said: “At ASICS, our five letters have meaning. ASICS is an acronym from the Latin phrase Anima Sana In Corpore Sano or ‘a Sound Mind in a Sound Body’.
This is why caring for the wellbeing of athletes has always been at our core. While we’re proud to support athletes to win and break records, we don’t believe in winning at all costs.
The physical and mental wellbeing of athletes is more important than any podium place.
Our aim is to support athletes to reach their performance goals without compromising their wellbeing.
We are acutely aware of the negative impact of online harassment and cyberbullying on mental health and so are keen to help protect our athletes from online abuse.”
Reflecting on the pervasive nature of online abuse, renowned athlete Eilish McColgan has also voiced her concerns.
McColgan, a three-times Olympian, Commonwealth Games champion and European Championship medallist, said, “Sadly, online abuse is something that pretty much every elite athlete has to deal with these days.
Personally, I receive a barrage of abusive messages and comments, especially when I compete. That abuse is almost never about my performance but almost always about my body and the way I look.
Over the years, I’ve become accustomed to the comments, and I stand up for myself. But it is not OK.
The constant abuse that athletes face is unacceptable, and it’s getting worse. I’m grateful to have the support of ASICS and this new initiative to help block and remove harmful content so my mind can focus on the things I love most: running and competing.”
Jonathan Hirshler, Signify CEO, emphasised the synergy between the two companies: “Signify is delighted to be supporting ASICS and its athlete family in this way.
The brand values of ASICS and its commitment to protecting the overall wellbeing of athletes chimes closely with our own mission and what we set out to achieve with Threat Matrix.”
This innovative collaboration is a game changer—ASICS is not only reaffirming its commitment to athlete care but is also setting a fresh standard for digital safety across the sports world.
By directly addressing the mental toll of online abuse, the initiative lets athletes zero in on their passions and excel in their fields. It’s a resounding reminder that the pursuit of excellence should never come at the expense of mental wellbeing.
