India's sports icons, influencers and fans need a culture change, abuse of families cannot continue

Indian sports culture has a growing toxicity problem and we can no longer remain silent. Not after what has happened over the last two days, where two women laid bare the ugly truth by revealing the abuses directed at them and their families.

Yes, of course, this is not uniquely Indian and toxic fan culture exists everywhere. Hate directed at NBA stars, European footballers and their families has become a recurring pattern globally. But while it is a deeper issue plaguing the entire sporting ecosystem, comparisons must not become a shield here.

Especially not at a time when the internet has amplified abuse into a giant monster that now follows you everywhere, every second of the day. Gone are the days when one had to be in a public space, inside a stadium or in front of a television to face the unjustified wrath of fans. Now, abuse is generated in real time and sent directly to anyone with a social media profile.

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The vitriol is now ever-present in comment sections and DMs. All it takes is opening an app or going online. And similar unfortunate episodes have unfolded once again over the last few days as Indian sports social media crossed lines that should never have been crossed.

Shresta Iyer, the sister of Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer, had to publicly speak on Monday about the abuse directed at her over a light-hearted IPL reel after the Punjab Kings were eliminated from the IPL.

It wasn’t ordinary trolling. Her comments section was flooded with deeply misogynistic remarks, including sexually abusive comments. Even her workplace, students and family members were targeted.

A day earlier, Jessica Head, wife of Australian cricketer Travis Head, revealed she too had faced online abuse after Virat Kohli had a spat with the Sunrisers Hyderabad opener on Friday.

It's the families, wives and sisters who are increasingly becoming collateral damage in online sports wars. And that is where this stops being “banter”.

Shresta and Jessica's savage treatment reveals that this is not sporting passion, but a deeply unhealthy culture of entitlement and dehumanisation. It is as if there's a section of fans for whom sportspersons and their families are objects that exist solely for online consumption. A player performs badly, a rival celebrates too hard, someone posts a reel and suddenly, abuse becomes justified in the minds of thousands.

It's another thing that it's also clearly hurting India's image. Cricket is one of the country’s strongest cultural identities. Indian cricket fans are among the loudest, most visible and most influential online communities in world sport.

Which means the worst parts of the fan culture are becoming our identity!

Abusive fans are hurting India

That perception may not represent the majority of Indian fans, but perception matters. And silence is allowing the ugly voices to define our culture.

The silence of our biggest stars. Be it Kohli, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni or others. Their fan groups have become digital armies, attacking anyone who is perceived as disrespecting their idol. Rival players, commentators, journalists or families, nobody is spared.

Of course, no player can fully control millions of followers. It would be unfair to directly blame athletes for every abusive comment written online. But it is equally unrealistic to pretend they have no influence at all, especially on their "die-hard" fans.

Kohli, Rohit, Dhoni or anyone of that stature are not ordinary sportspersons. These are players who have won us World Cups, fulfilled our dreams and wield enormous influence over the younger generation, a large section of whom make up these online fan groups.

These are people who can change the discourse within minutes if they choose to speak up even once. One Instagram statement asking fans to stop abusing women and families can immediately shift the tone online.

But what we are mostly getting from our biggest stars is silence.

Maybe they do not want to antagonise loyal fanbases. Maybe commercial considerations play a role. Some players may simply prefer staying away from online controversies. But silence cannot be an option when abuse is being carried out in their names.

It's not neutrality anymore, it's indifference.

Sport is an emotional subject. It brings agony and ecstasy in equal measure. Fans will get frustrated, emotional and sometimes lose control in the heat of the moment. That passion is part of what makes sport special. But there are healthier ways to express it.

Nothing justifies abusing women, children or families.

And it is high time the celebrities in whose names these toxic fan clubs launch abusive campaigns every other day also recognise their responsibilities. Not just them, but also the cricket board, franchises and broadcasters. Because the longer influential people stay silent, the more normal this ugliness will become.