July 29, (THEWILL) – The Chief Executive of Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), Yiannis Exarchos, has urged camera operators at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games to treat male and female athletes equally. This call comes as the Games achieve gender parity among athletes for the first time in its 128-year history.
OBS has updated its guidelines for camera operators, stressing the need to eliminate stereotypes and sexism in coverage. Exarchos noted that some events still show women being filmed differently from men, reflecting lingering biases. He emphasised that female athletes are present due to their elite status, not their appearance.
The OBS chief pointed out that “unconscious bias” leads some camera operators and TV editors to use more close-up shots of female athletes compared to males. To address this, intentional scheduling changes have been made, including moving the women’s marathon to the final event of the summer.
Marie Sallois, Corporate and Sustainable Development Director at the International Olympic Committee highlighted the Games’ role in promoting gender equality in sport. She noted symbolic moments during the Opening Ceremony, such as mixed-gender flag bearers and recognition of influential women in French history.
The Paris 2024 Olympics mark a significant milestone in gender representation, with 50/50 male-female participation. This is a stark contrast to the 1924 Paris Games, where only 4.4% of athletes were women. The Tokyo 2021 Olympics saw 48% female participation, paving the way for this year’s complete parity.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
