Olympics broadcasting chief warns camera operators to avoid sexist framing of female athletes
The head of the Olympic Broadcasting Services Yiannis Exarchos implored camera operators to avoid "sexism and stereotypes" in their coverage of the Games.
An Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) executive warned camera operators at the Summer Games to avoid sexism when shooting the events in and around the Paris Olympics.
OBS chief executive Yiannis Exarchos said the organization updated its guidelines for operators, who are mostly men.
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"Unfortunately, in some events they (women) are still being filmed in a way that you can identify that stereotypes and sexism remains, even from the way in which some camera operators are framing differently men and women athletes," Exarchos said, via AFP.
"Women athletes are not there because they are more attractive or sexy or whatever. They are there because they are elite athletes."
Exarchos pinned the issue on an "unconscious bias" for men and TV heads who tend to perform more close-up shots of women than men.
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In the early days of the Paris Olympics, Eurosport was forced to make a change to one of its broadcast teams after Bob Ballard made a comment about the Australian women’s swim team.
"Well, the women just finishing up. You know what women are like ... hanging around, doing their make-up," Ballard said over the weekend.
Eurosport subsequently removed him from the coverage. Ballard apologized for his remark on Monday.
"The comments I made during the Australian freestyle relay victory ceremony on Saturday have caused some offense," Ballard wrote in a post. "It was never my intention to upset or belittle anyone and, if I did, I apologize. I am a massive advocate of women’s sport.
"I shall miss the Eurosport team, dearly and wish them all the best for the rest of the Olympics," he added. "No further comment will be issued. Thank you."
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