World Rugby hopes the service provided by Signify will "put an online protective shield around all tournament match officials, players and coaches" ©Getty Images

World Rugby has entered a partnership with artificial intelligence (AI) company Signify Group aimed at monitoring and tackling online abuse of players and officials during the men's Rugby World Cup in France.

This includes evidence of abuse being provided to national associations with a view to banning abusive individuals from rugby events.

Signify Group is set to use its AI threat matrix service to help protect participants in the tournament due to run from tomorrow until October 28.

The service is set to monitor posts on social media platforms such as X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram, covering more than 30 languages.

Abusive content and accounts are to be reported to the respective platforms, with a vow to accelerate sanctions imposed against those responsible.

The most serious cases will be reported to law enforcement agencies.

Online abuse of players and officials is a growing concern across sport, particularly with the growth of social media, and companies have been criticised for failing to sufficiently combat abuse and hate shared on their platforms.

Social media companies have faced criticism for failing to sufficiently protect users from online abuse and hate ©Getty Images
Social media companies have faced criticism for failing to sufficiently protect users from online abuse and hate ©Getty Images

World Rugby claimed the service would "put an online protective shield around all tournament match officials, players and coaches", and chief executive Alan Gilpin underlined the importance of putting such measures in place.

"Rugby is a sport for everyone and we take our responsibility very seriously to make the sport as inclusive, accessible and relevant as possible," he said.

"This includes sending a strong message that online hate simply will not be tolerated, tackling abuse and harmful content with meaningful action."

Signify Group chief executive Jonathan Hirshler commended World Rugby for its work.

"We are delighted to be working with World Rugby to help create a safer online space to ensure officials and players can be 100 per cent focused on their on-field responsibilities, and not be distracted and potentially harmed by vile online abuse," he said.

"More and more sporting bodies are starting to take this issue seriously and it is great to be working with World Rugby where welfare is so core to its philosophy, in a sport built on respect, to drive positive change."

Signify Group has previously worked with FIFA on a similar initiative in football.