EBU Publishes Guide to Avoid Sexualizing Women Athletes in Broadcasts

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has released official guidelines titled "Raising the Bar" to prevent the sexualization of women athletes through camera angles. The guide focuses on women's track and field, offering practical examples for camera placement and editing to honor athletes' skill and dignity. It was developed with input from Olympic competitors Holly Bradshaw, Ivana Španović, and Blanka Vlašić. Glen Killane, Executive Director of EBU Sport, emphasized the need to address issues like lingering shots, low-angle cameras, and excessive slow-motion replays that serve no technical purpose. The guide is not a set of hard rules but aims to encourage respectful coverage. It covers high jump, pole vault, horizontal jumps, and running events, and applies to both large-scale productions and smaller crews. The EBU may produce additional guides for other sports. The full guide is available on the EBU website.