Norwegian Broadcaster Accused of Inappropriate Filming of Female Athletes at World Championships

Norwegian broadcaster NRK has found itself at the center of a scandal after airing revealing footage of female athletes filmed just before their races at the World Athletics Championships. Cameras lingered for several seconds on Norway's Pernille Carlsen Antonsen and hurdler Andrea Ruth, shot from behind as they prepared for the 800m and 400m hurdles respectively.

Antonsen, who failed to advance from her 800m heat, said she was unhappy with how the footage was captured. "I understand it's difficult to film athletes in motion, but the camera operators clearly zoom in on certain things," she said.

Fellow Athletes Speak Out in Support

Irish 400m runner Sophie Becker also came to her colleagues' defense. "It surprises me that this kind of thing still happens even with the new filming guidelines in place. The camera operators apparently don't see anything wrong with it. But the angle is very revealing, and it makes me uncomfortable," she said.

On Wednesday evening, NRK confirmed that the footage had indeed been captured by its own camera crew. According to NRK's head of broadcasting, Espen Langfeldt, the channel had been following the Norwegian athletes as they prepared for their events. "As part of our editorial process, we will review these specific instances and assess them against the new guidelines," he said.

New Rules for Filming Women's Sport

Back in June, European broadcasters were issued detailed guidance on how to properly film women during athletics broadcasts. The document was developed by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) together with European Athletics, aimed at "preventing the sexualization of female athletes through camera angles and slow-motion replays."

Under the guidelines, camera operators are advised to avoid unnecessary close-ups, shots focusing on tight-fitting sportswear, and inappropriate angles — including filming athletes from below.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by sport.cz