Badminton star sent rape and death threats from gamblers

Scotland's top badminton player says she feels "violated" after she was sent rape and death threats when she lost her latest match.

Kirsty Gilmour was sent sickening messages from gamblers who had lost money betting on the results.

The 29-year-old said one even suggested the match against Gregoria Mariska Tunjung was fixed.

She reported the threats to police but has called for more action against abuse in the sport.

The Olympian, from Bellshill in North Lanarkshire, was taking part in the Swiss Open in Basel last week when she lost the match.

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She told BBC Scotland it happened to players regularly.

"It's always from an anonymous account, no picture, no followers," she said. "My best guess is they are betting on matches and lost and they decided to take it out on me.

"It is never someone that's watched the match and knows about badminton the sport. I am basically a random horserace to them and it's not gone their way so they get personal."

Kirsty in action at the All England Open Badminton Championships

Although she is used to receiving them it never gets easier.

"Thankfully when I read this one I was in an OK frame of mind. It wasn't a loss that particularly hurt me, so I was in an OK emotional state.

"Sometimes I laugh them off - if it's one word like "retire".

"But if that had happened at a Commonwealth or Olympic Games with a lot riding on it and it was a culmination of months of specific training and then they said something it would not be as easy to handle.

"It hurts more when they target my play or me as a player. You can send a death or rape threat to anyone but when they make it really personal about how I am bad at my job because they put money on it - those hurt more."

The latest message suggested she had thrown her match.

It said: "11-5 then 18-15 to lose 18-21. All you want is fixing match to earn dirty money, huh?"

It went on to use offensive language, threatening to send someone to rape her and saying "you are so idiot, ugly and dirty to play sport and to live."

Along with para powerlifter Micky Yule, Kirsty was a flag bearer for Team Scotland at the Opening Ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

Last month the Badminton World Federation signed an agreement with sports data firm Stats Perform to enhance its protection of the sport by investigating suspicious betting activity on badminton matches.

Live monitoring of betting markets helps the the BWF to gather intelligence on specific matches and competitions that may be connected to suspicious gambling activity.

Ms Gilmour said she had never been approached and asked to fix a match.

"I wouldn't even know where to start. My reputation as a badminton player and a person is worth more than any money I could gain from fixing a match," she said.

"Why would I go to all that effort and train 25 hours a week to purposely lose?"

'What abuse will I get for this?'

Ms Gilmour admitted the abuse had got to the stage where she and fellow players expected abuse if something happened on the court.

"Recently me and another player were talking and realised we think in the middle of a game, when something happens, what level of abuse am I going to get for this?"

She said that it was difficult to know how to stop it.

"If they comment on my posts I report those to Instagram but a lot come through direct messages. I don't know what can be done. I even worry that talking about it will invite more and give attention to these people.

"It is something we have just come to accept - another element we learn to live with."

Keith Russell, CEO of Badminton Scotland said they were aware of "the vile threat" received by Ms Gilmour.

He said: "As a priority we have checked in with Kirsty and would also like to thank everyone who has supported her.

"We are proud that she has highlighted online abuse as an issue and brought her experience to people's attention.

"As a governing body who exist to bring people and communities together, we do not take abuse of this nature lightly.

"The mental health and wellbeing of all players and staff comes first and we will not tolerate abuse of any kind online or otherwise."