New broadcast guidelines on the sexualization of female athletes welcomed ahead of European Championships

Saturday 08 August 2026 - 11:15

By: Sahili Aya

New broadcast guidelines on the sexualization of female athletes welcomed ahead of European Championships

New recommendations aimed at reducing the unnecessary sexualization of female athletes are receiving broad support ahead of the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, where competition is scheduled to take place from August 10 to 16.

The guidelines, published in mid-July by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), call on sports broadcasters to reconsider how they film and present women's athletics.

The initiative focuses not on limiting legitimate sporting coverage, but on discouraging camera choices that emphasize athletes' bodies when those images add nothing to the technical or narrative understanding of a competition.

Broadcasters urged to rethink camera angles

The EBU's guidance highlights several recurring practices in televised women's sport.

Among them are prolonged shots focused on athletes' bodies, low-angle images that can reveal intimate perspectives and repeated slow-motion sequences that have no clear technical or storytelling purpose.

Glen Killane, the EBU's executive director, said such choices had become recognizable problems in the coverage of women's sporting competitions.

The recommendations encourage broadcasters to ask whether a particular shot contributes to understanding the performance or simply draws attention to the athlete's physical appearance.

The examples behind the guidelines

The EBU has identified a number of situations in athletics where inappropriate framing can easily occur.

High-jump competitions, for example, can lead to repeated slow-motion images as athletes clear the bar. Relay races can produce close-up shots that focus unnecessarily on an athlete's body rather than the race itself.

Low camera angles can also become problematic when athletes are filmed while speaking with their coaches.

The issue is therefore not the existence of slow motion, close-ups or alternative camera angles in themselves. Rather, the EBU is encouraging broadcasters to consider whether the way those techniques are used serves a legitimate sporting or editorial purpose.

Keeping the focus on sporting achievement

The EBU argues that camera decisions can influence how audiences perceive female athletes.

When coverage repeatedly emphasizes physical appearance rather than performance, the sporting achievement can become secondary to the athlete's body.

According to the broadcasting organization, such practices risk reinforcing gender stereotypes while distracting viewers from the technical skill, preparation and athletic ability demonstrated by competitors.

The new guidance seeks to encourage coverage that places sporting performance at the center of the broadcast.

A debate extending beyond athletics

The recommendations arrive as women's sport continues to receive unprecedented levels of media attention.

With growing audiences and greater visibility for female athletes, broadcasters are also facing increased scrutiny over how competitions are presented on television and digital platforms.

The Birmingham European Championships will provide an early test of how the recommendations can be applied in practice.

For broadcasters, the challenge will be to preserve the visual drama that makes athletics compelling while ensuring that camera work remains focused on competition, technique and achievement rather than unnecessary attention to athletes' bodies.