The Iceburg of Hate in Sport

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The Iceberg of Hate helps us the visualise actions related to hate, and identify ones that we might not immediately see as hate or discrimination, but are still intrinsically linked.

An iceberg with more visible forms of hate above the waterline (e.g., racist abuse), and less visible forms of hate below the waterline (e.g., microaggressions).

Image caption: The iceberg of hate which shows behaviours that are below the waterline or less visible in society, and behaviours above the line or more visible in society.

Visible at the top (above the water):

These are the obvious incidents people see but they are only a small part of the problem. 

  • Racist chanting in the stands
  • Homophobic abuse online 
  • Physical assault motivated by prejudice

These are 'tip of the iceberg' hate crimes.

Hidden below the surface (larger, less visible):

These everyday microaggression and prejudices that often get ignored or dismissed as "banter"

  • "You throw like a girl".
  • "You don't look disabled".
  • "That's so gay".
  • Teammates ignoring a player's pronouns
  • Jokes about ski colour, accents, or religion

💡These seem small but create an environment where hate escalates. 

Why it matters

  • A one-off remark may seem minor, but over time they accumulate  and can escalate into full hate incidents or crimes.
  • Example: Repeated "jokes" about a players accent -> fans chanting -> threats on social media.

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Last modified: Wednesday, 9 September 2026, 1:03 PM