Hungarian tennis professional Panna Udvardy says she obtained threatening messages through WhatsApp to her private cellphone from an unknown quantity, threatening her household if she didn’t throw a match.
Recounting the ordeal in a disturbing Instagram put up on Friday, March 6, Udvardy, 27, shared screenshots of the alleged threats and defined how she responded.
“Final night time round midnight I obtained a number of very disturbing messages on WhatsApp from an unknown quantity on my private cellphone,” she wrote within the caption.
She continued, “The individual instructed me that if I didn’t lose my match right now, they might hurt members of my household. They mentioned they knew the place my household lives, what automobiles they drive and that they’d their cellphone numbers. They even despatched photographs of my members of the family and an image of a gun.”
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The photographs Udvardy shared with the put up confirmed somebody off digicam holding a gun in addition to what seems to be photographs of Udvardy’s members of the family.
“It was actually very scary to obtain one thing like this,” she admitted. “I instantly contacted the WTA supervisor, despatched the screenshots, and knowledgeable my dad and mom. My dad and mom then contacted the consulate, and once I awakened this morning I additionally spoke once more with the WTA supervisor. I used to be instructed that comparable threats have not too long ago occurred to different gamers and that they imagine private info might have leaked from the WTA database, which is presently being investigated.”
The WTA later despatched an e mail to gamers saying there had been no knowledge breach and the FBI is investigating why Udvardy and different gamers have been receiving threats, in line with a narrative from The Athletic on Saturday, March 7.
Udvardy added that the consulate responded “in a short time” and despatched three officers to her match. Police additionally went to her dad and mom’ and grandmother’s properties, and she or he filed a police report.
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Nevertheless, Udvardy instructed The Athletic that it felt just like the WTA was attempting to “downplay” the threats.
“I didn’t see any additional safety being positioned or any form of actual concern,” she instructed the outlet. “The supervisor instructed me, ‘Oh, it occurred to different gamers, so don’t fear.’”
She added, “OK, however I’m nervous — it’s my cellphone quantity, my private knowledge, who is aware of what else they’ve?”
Udvardy concluded her put up by thanking followers who reached out to indicate their assist, earlier than taking a agency stand.
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“However I need to say one thing clearly: this isn’t regular,” she wrote. “Whilst athletes or public figures, it’s not acceptable to obtain threats towards our households, particularly not on our personal cellphone numbers and alongside disturbing pictures. We must always not normalize abuse like this in sport.”
“I hope the WTA continues investigating this case significantly and takes stronger steps to guard gamers private knowledge and security and to tell gamers instantly if there’s a breach of their system,” she added. “No participant ought to should take care of one thing like this.”
Us Weekly has reached out to the WTA for remark.