Frightful, disturbing and worrisome are the words that come to the mind in the manner in which football fans in Russia have treated female reporters in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2018.
In modern times when assaults have been on the rise everywhere across the world, nothing is safe for women. In broad daylight while fulfilling their normal duties amongst a packed crowd outside the stadium, female reporters in Russia being mishandled is a ghastly recurrence.
In a space of two weeks, two reporters had to face the brunt of utter shambolic acts by male fans while being live on air reporting. One really wonders what these men were thinking. Is it cheap fun?
Or is it a way to show patriarchal dominance? Both ways the identity of manhood has seen a disdain low in the circumstances that have taken place. And on both occasions, one must laud the victims for their reactions on the same.
Their way of protests and carrying on with their job shows despite the fear and loathing, the mindset they carry is strong and unbreakable. Firstly, it was a Colombian reporter who was groped and forcibly kissed during a live interview. Secondly, a Brazilian reporter then went through a similar experience before she fought back against the miscreant.
On both occasions, it brought a horrific experience to light as the female journalists only know the stigma they have to face mentally while having been forced to undergo these acts. Till how long will these sexual harassments continue?
‘We do not deserve this treatment’
A Colombian female reporter was kissed and groped on air by a football fan live on air. The correspondent Julieth Gonzalez Theran works for a Spanish outlet DW Espanol. She was brave enough to continue with the live report. The incident happened last week prior to the game between Russia and Saudi Arabia in the city of Saransk.
DW Sports posted the clip on Twitter and stated that sexual harassment isn’t okay and it needs to stop. Gonzalez Theran has gone on to state that females do not deserve this treatment from men and they are equally valuable and professional. “We do not deserve this treatment,” Gonzalez Theran said post the incident. “We are equally valuable and professional.”
She was preparing for the broadcast when the fan took an advantage and groped her breast and kissed her cheek. Theran said that she checked later on if the person was still around, but he wasn’t seen anywhere.
A DW reporter was sexually harassed while covering the #WorldCup. @JULIETHCGT was kissed, groped by a man while reporting from Moscow.
The incident can be seen here (00:13).
Sexual harassment is not okay. It needs to stop. In football, and elsewhere.pic.twitter.com/O0S1a1F4Es
— DW Sports (@dw_sports) June 20, 2018
‘Don’t do this! Never do this again’
A Brazilian reporter fought back after a fan tried to kiss her while she was on-air. Julia Guimaraes was in Yekaterinburg and was reporting on Japan versus Senegal Group H match. That’s when a man approached towards her and tried to force a kiss. The woman dodged the kiss and shot back at the man. And this too went live on air.
The reporter was seen shouting at the man after dodging his kiss. “Don’t do this! Never do this again,” she said. The man was heard apologizing in the video. She then added that his attempt was neither right nor polite. Guimarae admonished him saying he should never do this to a woman and asked him to show respect.
“Don’t do this, I don’t allow you to do this, never, OK? This is not polite, this is not right. Never do this to a woman, OK? Respect.”
Well, these incidents in this World Cup have left people wondering how much has actually changed in the beautiful game and whether women are being treated unfairly.
Lamentável: torcedor tenta beijar repórter Julia Guimarães antes do jogo entre Japão e Senegal em Ecaterimburgo. Hoje o @showdavida exibe reportagem sobre assédio contra mulheres na Rússia pic.twitter.com/UpuF1KtNf9
— ge (@geglobo) June 24, 2018
Past incidents show live reporting not safe
The video made by these women was then aired during a football match at Rio de Janeiro’s 79,000-capacity Maracana stadium in March. Various football clubs went on to back the same and they were joined by some of the biggest sporting personalities. Interestingly, television commentators were heard discussing the incident during the match and condemning the man’s behaviour in reference to the new campaign.
In 2017, tennis player Maxime Hamou was banned from participating at the Roland Garros after forcibly kissing a female reporter. It is a shame that these incidents keep happening, often leaving women in a state of shock. Can’t they work normally as everyone? How long will these incidents keep tormenting them? Who will take responsibility?
Reactions on social media
There have been mixed reactions to the incident where some called it a feminist hysteria and others stated that it’s a welcome kiss. How can people lay to such horrific claims? Online media bullying and trolling has become a new trend and sadly it shows how humans are losing their sense of being responsible to society.
On the other hand many of them criticised the moves made by these men. What is happening is that people have become very sexist in the manner women are being treated.
On Tuesday a photographic agency published a photo gallery of “the hottest fans at the World Cup” featuring exclusively young women. The post attracted criticism from social media users.
Twitter account Women in Football asked, “times are changing so why don’t you?” Moreover, female sports commentators too have been unfairly targeted during the World Cup.
https://twitter.com/eman_anjum/status/1010943335517839360