Female sports reporters harassed while doing their job at World Cup 2018

World Today

Julia_main photoIn this photograb from a video courtesy of Brazil’s SporTV, Julia Guimarães, a sports reporter for Brazil’s TV Globo and SporTV, deftly dodges a non-consensual kiss from a harasser while covering before the Senegal-Japan game.

Sexual harassment and abuse are far too common for female sports reporters.

In the past two weeks, at least three female sports reporters have been harassed while covering the World Cup 2018 games in Russia.

Brazilian sports reporter for SporTV, Julia Guimarães, immediately confronted the man who tried to kiss her on live TV.

“Never do this. Never do this to a woman!” shouted Guimarães.

Just days before, a man groped and kissed Deutsche Welle reporter Julieth González Therán live on air.

While she did continue her report, Gonzalez addressed the incident later.

“We do not deserve this treatment. We are equally valuable and professionals,” said Theran on her instagram account, “I share the joy of football, but we must identify the limits of affection and harassment.”

The Russian man who grabbed her reached out to the TV station and apologized.

The videos have sparked outrage from both men and women, but some online commentators called the reactions “feminist hysteria,” suggesting the unwanted kisses should be viewed as “compliments,” according to the BBC.

Beyond these incidents, female journalists covering football face broader sexism.

Vicki Sparks made history by becoming the first female commentator of a World Cup match on British TV, only to be criticized for her “high-pitched tone” by a former Chelsea footballer.