An executive from Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) cautioned camera operators at the Summer Games to be mindful of sexism when filming the events at the Paris Olympics.
OBS CEO Yiannis Exarchos stated that the organization has revised its guidelines for operators, most of whom are male.
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Yiannis Exarchos, CEO of Olympic Broadcasting Services at the IOC, gestures while speaking during the Olympic AI Agenda event at Lee Valley VeloPark in London on April 19, 2024. (BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
“Unfortunately, in some events, women are still filmed in ways that perpetuate stereotypes and sexism, particularly regarding how some camera operators frame male and female athletes differently,” Exarchos stated, according to AFP.
“Women athletes are not present because they are perceived as more attractive or appealing. They are here because they are top-tier athletes.”
Exarchos attributed the issue to “unconscious bias” among male operators and producers, who often choose to focus more closely on female athletes than on their male counterparts.
Yiannis Exarchos, as a torchbearer, runs with the Olympic torch during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Torch Relay at the Olympic Forest Park in Beijing on Feb. 4, 2022. (Li He/Xinhua via Getty Images)
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In the early days of the Paris Olympics, Eurosport had to revise one of its broadcasting teams after commentator Bob Ballard made an inappropriate remark about the Australian women’s swimming team.
“Well, the women are just wrapping up. You know how it is with women… hanging around, applying their make-up,” Ballard stated over the weekend.
Eurosport later dismissed him from the event. Ballard issued an apology for his comments on Monday.
“My comments during the Australian freestyle relay victory ceremony on Saturday were offensive to some,” Ballard expressed in a post. “I never intended to offend or demean anyone, and if I did, I am truly sorry. I am a strong supporter of women’s sports.”
From left to right, Australians Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma Mckeon, and Meg Harris celebrate on the podium after their victory in the women’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay final at the 2024 Summer Olympics on July 27, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
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“I will greatly miss the Eurosport team and wish them all the best for the remainder of the Olympics,” he added. “I will not provide further comments. Thank you.”
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