Former rugby players fighting for compensation after suffering head injuries were subjected to online abuse after blowing the whistle on "unsafe" rules in the sport.
Nearly 300 rugby players are suing Welsh Rugby Union, the Rugby Football Union and World Rugby for brain damage sustained while playing the game. Former Wales captain and British Lion Ryan Jones, Welsh fly-half Gavin Henson and internationals Alix Popham and Lenny Woodard are among those who have lodged claims.
England World Cup winner Steve Thompson is also involved. But responses to them online after being linked to the case were often toxic.
Former sport secretary Baroness Morgan said: "This kind of awful abuse has become normalised on social media platforms. These former players have suffered tremendously, both physically and mentally.”
Former Great Britain Prop Nick Fozzard tweeted about the court case, saying: “I’m involved in this case to provide for my kids and fiancee when I’m not here. I hope you can all relate to that.” But in response he was accused by Twitter users of trying to "milk a few quid" and "bringing [rugby] to its knees to get a payday." Another responded to the news by writing: "No-one forced them to play rugby! Bunch of cry babies just wanting money."
Others wrote to Sam Peters, a rugby writer who championed the case, claiming those involved were "attention seekers" and that the legal action was a "bandwagon for grifters." And another said Mr Henson "needs the funds as he needs more fake tan to serve behind his bar."
“Shameful, unfounded and poisonous comments like these can only deepen that trauma,” Ms Morgan added. “The Online Safety Act makes it clear that online platforms have a duty to regulate harmful content and to stop abuse from flourishing."
The Mirror revealed in March that three former players had already died this year due to historic head trauma. Former Pembroke RFC player Anthony Hodge, 73, former Salford Red Devils captain Malcolm Alter, 45, and ex-England Rugby League player Peter Glynn, 71, all died in January.
All three were claimants in sport concussion cases, pursuing compensation. And all their deaths are believed to be linked to head trauma from when they played.
Richard Boardman of law firm Rylands Garth who represents the claimants, said: “So often, keyboard warriors resort to nasty online attacks to deter people from doing the right thing for themselves or society. They hate whistleblowing because they know that horrible secrets will be revealed.
“Our claimants, however, know that the keyboard warriors cannot win and many more are coming forward, ignoring the needlessly hostile environment online.”