photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation
900 players, 60 game officials & 36 teams protected across major Championships
The International Ice Hockey Federation [IIHF] has joined forces with Signify Group, its artificial intelligence Threat Matrix service and sports integrity and security experts Quest to protect players and officials from online abuse and threat. The service covers IIHF Men, Women and Junior World Championships and was active for the IIHF Junior World Championships which took place in Canada recently.
Approximately 900 players, 60 game officials, and 36 teams are protected, with a focus on abuse and threat on X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Tik Tok. IIHF accounts on these platforms, including championship channels and national team accounts, are also covered. The Threat Matrix service includes:
Ashley Ehlert, Deputy Director General / Legal Director, expressed its satisfaction with this project: “we are proud to be partnering with Signify to protect our players and game officials from the harmful effects of online abuse and threats across our major championships. Ensuring a safe and supportive environment, both on and off the ice, is a top priority for the IIHF.
It was fantastic to launch this service during the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, and we look forward to extending this important support to the IIHF Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey World Championships in the coming months and beyond.”
Jake Marsh, Head of Sport for Signify Group shared:
“We are delighted to be working with the IIHF to protect players and game officials from the poison of online abuse and threat across its major championships, as well as support more broadly around online safety for the Ice Hockey community. It was great to get the service up and running for the IIHF World Juniors Championships 2025 and we look forward to doing the same for the IIHF Men and Women at their Ice Hockey World Championships over the coming months and beyond.”
The Threat Matrix project at the IIHF World Junior Championships 2025 delivered the following insights and impact:
About Threat Matrix
Threat Matrix is an initiative developed by Signify Group, and for this project is supported by sports integrity and security company Quest. Threat Matrix uses open source, publicly available data, and artificial intelligence to monitor social media messages at scale. The service has been designed with built-in threat assessment protocols, providing the ability to flag concerning and threatening behaviours. Threat Matrix is utilised by sports clubs, leagues, International Federations, and event owners across the globe.
www.signify.ai
The International Ice Hockey Federation [IIHF] has joined forces with Signify Group, its artificial intelligence Threat Matrix service and sports integrity and security experts Quest to protect players and officials from online abuse and threat. The service covers IIHF Men, Women and Junior World Championships and was active for the IIHF Junior World Championships which took place in Canada recently.
Approximately 900 players, 60 game officials, and 36 teams are protected, with a focus on abuse and threat on X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Tik Tok. IIHF accounts on these platforms, including championship channels and national team accounts, are also covered. The Threat Matrix service includes:
- Proactive monitoring for targeted online abuse and threat towards players and game officials
- Referral of abusive accounts to social media platforms and law enforcement for action
- Immediate notification to IIHF of identified fixated / high-concern abuse and threat
- Identification of high threat individuals for potential loss of access to venues and tickets
- Support law enforcement investigations and prosecutions for the most egregious cases
- Education programmes and support for players and officials to better manage their online risk.
Ashley Ehlert, Deputy Director General / Legal Director, expressed its satisfaction with this project: “we are proud to be partnering with Signify to protect our players and game officials from the harmful effects of online abuse and threats across our major championships. Ensuring a safe and supportive environment, both on and off the ice, is a top priority for the IIHF.
It was fantastic to launch this service during the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, and we look forward to extending this important support to the IIHF Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey World Championships in the coming months and beyond.”
Jake Marsh, Head of Sport for Signify Group shared:
“We are delighted to be working with the IIHF to protect players and game officials from the poison of online abuse and threat across its major championships, as well as support more broadly around online safety for the Ice Hockey community. It was great to get the service up and running for the IIHF World Juniors Championships 2025 and we look forward to doing the same for the IIHF Men and Women at their Ice Hockey World Championships over the coming months and beyond.”
The Threat Matrix project at the IIHF World Junior Championships 2025 delivered the following insights and impact:
- 240 players, 10 teams, 5 coaches, and 31 game officials protected
- 236 abusive posts / comments detected and reported to platforms for action
- General Abuse [33%], Sexual-related abuse [17%] and Match Fixing / Corruption [14%] were the highest volume categories of abuse
- While team accounts received the majority of abuse, three players were targeted directly
- One team’s accounts were the most targeted across the Championships and volumes of abuse peaked after one particular match loss
- Education sessions on the risks of online abuse and how to stay safe delivered to all players and game officials
About Threat Matrix
Threat Matrix is an initiative developed by Signify Group, and for this project is supported by sports integrity and security company Quest. Threat Matrix uses open source, publicly available data, and artificial intelligence to monitor social media messages at scale. The service has been designed with built-in threat assessment protocols, providing the ability to flag concerning and threatening behaviours. Threat Matrix is utilised by sports clubs, leagues, International Federations, and event owners across the globe.
www.signify.ai