Football players are taking a stand. They’re sending “stop processing” requests to gaming, betting, and data firms, worried about how these companies use their performance and health data. They’re concerned this could impact their careers in unseen ways.
Thanks to Article 21 of the UK’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), individuals can object to how their personal data is processed. The Global Sports Data and Technology Group (GSDT), co-founded by Russell Slade and Jason Dunlop, is the one pushing these requests on behalf of the players. Their initiative, Project Red Card, aims to give athletes more control over their performance data.
Over the past five years, GSDT has been talking to major companies in the gaming, betting, and sports data sectors. They won’t name names, but these are big players in the industry. Dunlop and Slade say they’ve reached a point where they must take action because their concerns about player data have largely fallen on deaf ears.
Dunlop expresses frustration, noting that despite years of dialogue, progress has stalled. “It’s disappointing,” he says. “We have to protect our players.” He questions fundamental issues like whether players can object to their data being used outside of sport and who really should control this data.
Slade points out that these concerns affect players at every level. “Many don’t grasp how the industry operates or how crucial accurate data is for a player’s career,” he emphasizes.
Dunlop highlights the ethical implications of how player data is processed. Companies often do this without players’ consent or any form of payment. He asks us to consider how we’d feel if our every move at work was tracked and analyzed. “That’s what’s happening here. Players are monitored constantly, and their data is shared widely without their knowledge,” he says.
While clubs collect data to help players improve, Dunlop stresses that this data ends up in the hands of various third parties, who profit off it while the players remain uninformed. GSDT has no issue with clubs using the data internally but wants better control over how it’s distributed outside the club.
Inaccuracies in player data are another significant concern. Such errors can harm a player’s career, especially if their data is shared in contexts like gambling, which some players might oppose. At the core, GSDT aims to balance players’ rights with the interests of businesses that use this data.
Dunlop poses a crucial question: how do we move toward a system where everyone feels comfortable with data processing? He believes players should have the option to refuse their data being processed entirely if they choose.
Given footballers’ typically short careers, controlling their data could offer financial support when they retire. Slade points out that many players don’t see any financial returns despite their data being central to betting and gaming. “Money is being made off your data, and you don’t see a penny of that,” he stresses.
Depending on how companies respond to their requests, GSDT might contact the data regulator or consider legal routes. They hope that football’s visibility will raise awareness about data rights for everyone. “Sport can lead the way for understanding data rights,” Dunlop believes.