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Italian volleyball has been shaken by an incident of online abuse involving Manuel Coscione, the Cuneo player who has reported receiving death threats and personal insults directed at both him and his family through social media.
The messages allegedly came from a fake account, following a crucial moment in his team’s latest match. Coscione has confirmed that he has initiated the appropriate procedures with the relevant authorities.
The incident reportedly followed a missed serve on match point in the fifth set, when Coscione had the opportunity to help his team close out the contest. The player acknowledged his mistake but made it clear that no sporting error can justify personal attacks, threats or the involvement of family members in online abuse.
In a public statement, Coscione explained that he had always given, and would continue to give, his best on the court, while recognising that mistakes are an inevitable part of sport. He described the messages as completely incompatible with the values of competition and respect, adding that the author had apparently used a fake profile to comment on a post dating back two years.
Coscione also confirmed that he had taken steps with the competent authorities because, in his view, incidents of this kind must not be allowed to pass without consequences. He criticised the growing tendency for social media users to believe they can judge, threaten, defame or bully others without taking responsibility for their words.
“Sport is something else,” he stressed, reiterating that his understanding of education and respect for others is fundamentally different from the behaviour displayed by the person who targeted him.
The Italian Volleyball Players’ Association (AIP) has issued a strong condemnation of the threats and insults directed at Coscione and his family. The organisation emphasised that a mistake during a match is an ordinary and human part of any sporting discipline and can never be used as an excuse for verbal violence, intimidation or defamation.
According to AIP, the messages have nothing to do with supporting a team or with the values of sport. The association also warned that such behaviour may have legal implications, depending on the circumstances, and stressed that protecting athletes’ dignity and psychological well-being must take priority over any result.
AIP called for a zero-tolerance approach to cyberbullying and online harassment, urging sporting institutions and social media platforms to take more effective action to address the problem. It also renewed its commitment to supporting players who find themselves subjected to abuse, insisting that no athlete should have to face such attacks alone.
Coscione’s case highlights a wider problem extending far beyond volleyball. Social media can provide athletes with a direct connection to supporters, but it can also become a channel for intimidation when users hide behind anonymity or false identities. Criticism of a performance is one thing; threats against a player and their family are something entirely different.
A missed serve, a mistake at a decisive moment or a disappointing result can never justify crossing that line. Competition inevitably brings pressure, frustration and strong emotions, but respect for the person must remain non-negotiable. The response to this incident is another reminder that online abuse should not be dismissed as part of professional sport, and that accountability matters just as much in the digital world as it does everywhere else.