The barrage of online hate aimed at Canadian world junior hockey team captain Maxime Comtois after he missed a penalty shot in overtime during the 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships has shed light on the hyper-critical digital environment many athletes face every day.
Parti Québécois interim leader Pascal Bérubé said Instagram insults against Comtois are “anti-francophone racism.”
Nicole Foster, an associate professor at Ryerson University, whose research centres on the psychology of sports and the factors associated with high performance, said that social media often runs contrary to the advice she gives to athletes she’s working with — to control their environment to ensure it has a positive influence on them.
“That’s why I’m a big critic of social media,” she said. “You can’t control those that are not going to give you the positive feedback you deserve.”
Secondary to the importance of the athlete’s mental health, Foster adds that social media criticism also has the potential to derail athletes’ performances as well.
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“Confidence is the cornerstone behind any great performance,” she stated.
In addition, she added that younger athletes may be more susceptible than seasoned professionals to the harm social media can inflict, simply because they’re not accustomed to the attention sports fame often brings.
Mark Allen, the director of sport at the sports safety advocacy group Respect Group Inc., agreed with Foster’s statements.
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“Certainly any form of abuse, whether it be direct to one’s face or via social media, has an impact,” said Allen.
While he notes the necessity for athletes playing at elite levels to “have a thick skin,” he added that it’s not ever acceptable to expose players to abuse and threats online.
“This is a societal issue, this is not just an issue with sport. People just need to understand the impact of their words and how hurtful and harmful they can be.”
He also echoed Foster’s claim that social media may be even more harmful for young, up-and-coming athletes.
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According to Allen, hockey coaches across Canada are aware of the problem and are receiving training on helping their players through these situations.
In the wake of the online uproar over Comtois’ missed penalty, his representatives released a statement defending the 19-year-old player.
“Maxime Comtois is he ultimate example of a Hockey Canada athlete, who has grown through the ranks to become a selfless leader. No one is prouder to wear the maple leaf on his chest and C on his jersey,” the statement read.
“It is shameful and incomprehensible that a few cowards who can hide behind social media could make such vicious attacks on these young men’s character after they have battled their hearts out for their country.”
A growing number of athletes have been subjected to online abuse in recent years, and research suggests that such continued online mistreatment can have a negative impact on many parts of the player’s life.
In 2015, anti-racism in football group Kick It Out looked into the social media abuse of English Premier League clubs. Players revealed that there had been approximately 134,000 discriminatory posts between August 2014 and March 2015. This equates to an average of almost 17,000 abusive posts per month. The research was published in The Conversation.
Allen urges sports fans to treat their heroes as people too, and to remember that it’s just a game.
“It’s a game. There’s winners and losers, and life goes on.”
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