#athlete-harassment

#athlete-harassment

The NCAA and online payment service Venmo announced a partnership Tuesday aiming to combat abuse and harassment of college athletes, some of whom have reported receiving unwanted requests for money from losing bettors and solicitation for inside information. The NCAA-Venmo partnership features a dedicated hotline for athletes to report abuse and harassment, education on account security, and increased monitoring. Venmo's security team will monitor social media trends and events during games, such as last-second missed field goals, that have triggered surges in unwanted interactions.

"I think everybody hears from fans whether they have a financial benefit or anything in their outcome. That's why I had to get rid of my Venmo."

"There was a lot in there that was directed at the NCAA committee from the outset of March Madness, with some of the bubble teams and who got in and who got out; couple coaches' changes that happened throughout March Madness seemed to trigger a lot of abuse, as well."