Simon Hofmann / Getty Images Sports via Getty Images
By 
January Nelson
The guidelines indicate which shots broadcasters should stay away from.
European broadcasters are being told to rethink how they film women’s athletics.
A new 23-page guide from the European Broadcasting Union and European Athletics advises production staff to avoid low camera angles, tight shots from behind, low-pelvis frames and moving replays that reveal little about the performance. Developed with Olympic medalists Holly Bradshaw, Ivana Španović and Blanka Vlašić, Raising the Bar is voluntary but offers staff alternatives for each event.
Across the high jump, pole vault, horizontal jump and sprint events, the rule is the same: stay wide, show the way and cut before a landing or catch creates a vulnerable image. The guide likes views of the track, departure and body position, as well as side-by-side replays and forward-looking footage from the start lines and behind the races.
The athletes involved say those decisions could make broadcasting more useful. Bradshaw said the final strides, takeoffs and swings make up about 90% of the pole vault, giving analysts plenty of analysis without solid pictures of clearances or landings. Španović said that poorly placed cameras can interfere with the warm-up and create a risk of injury.
The guide follows the age-old struggles of how female athletes are presented. Germany’s women’s gymnastics team wore full-length unitards at the 2021 Olympics to push back against sexism. Team USA’s high-profile Nike track kit backfired in 2024, with Lauren Fleshman questioning why the sexist design was presented as high-profile. The Olympic Broadcasting Services had already promised a “sporty, not sexist” approach ahead of Tokyo, including less physical contact between athletes.
Research suggests that this issue goes beyond a few controversial discussions. Another analysis found that female athletes were 10 times more likely than males to be targeted. One study found that coverage of men tended to emphasize speed and strength, while coverage of women tended to focus on age, appearance or marital status.
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