Katie Boulter Blasts Abusive Sports Bettors Who Send Threats

Prominent British tennis star Katie Boulter has become the latest athlete to step forward and speak openly about the abuse she and others receive because irate sports bettors and hecklers pile insults and obscenities on them during live games, online, and in person.

Tennis Player Boulter Speaks Up Against Online Abusers

Things often go even a step further, with Boulter reporting that her family and she received death threats during the latest French Open. Boulter openly tied the abuse to people who were betting on her games and were hence upset when they lost money on her performance.

The messages that were fired off by irate punters in the wake of a game were despicable, with denizens wishing her to “get cancer” or “better arrange candles and a coffin for your entire family.”

Win or lose, there is someone who is betting on her performance, and who is always threatening, Boulter cautions, as people who have lost money “because of her” are also prone to vent and threaten her. Although these threats are never serious, they create mental pressure for athletes and make it harder to perform.

While she is a fairly well-established player, Boulter worries that this kind of unprecedented abuse may have a long-lasting impact on players down the leaderboard and make them shier or even less determined to play well. Some may intentionally underperform if they receive threats that seem credible enough.

Abusive Punters Should Not Be Ignored – But Held Accountable

Usually, the people who lash out are ordinary punters who had a lot of money riding, but criminal syndicates have also been trying to woo professional athletes and make them throw a game, or at least perform in a certain way.

Online abuse has already been flagged as a major issue by international sports bodies. The NCAA has started working with third parties and law enforcement to ensure that online abusers who threaten students, especially because of sports betting, are brought to justice.

Criminalizing such behavior or bringing it to justice is a slippery slope, but it is obvious that, given the mounting online abuse of athletes, law enforcement needs to step up.