EBU Issues Camera-Angle Rules for 57 Countries to Curb Sexualized Coverage of Female Athletics
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 15
EBU Issues Camera-Angle Rules for 57 Countries to Curb Sexualized Coverage of Female Athletics
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 15
Summary
New EBU guidance tells broadcasters to avoid low-angle shots, lingering body-focused images and unnecessary slow-motion replays in live female athletics coverage.
Holly Bradshaw, a British Olympic bronze medalist who helped shape the rules, said revealing live angles have led to abusive messages and inappropriate videos of her circulating online.
Ivana Spanovic warned such filming can distract athletes during competition and carry long-term mental health effects, while EBU Sport called sexualized editing a significant problem across broadcasts.
The rules could be used at the European Athletics Championships starting Aug. 10 in Birmingham, but not necessarily at Diamond League meets because those broadcasts do not run through the EBU.
The EBU supplies sports coverage to 57 countries and reaches more than 1 billion viewers, giving the guidance potential influence well beyond a single event.
Are new camera rules policing broadcast art or finally respecting female athletes, and who gets to draw the line?
Two years after their introduction, have the EBU's 'respectful coverage' guidelines actually changed how women's sports are filmed?
2026 Olympic Gender Policy and EBU Media Guidelines: New Rules, Controversy, and the Battle for Women’s Sports
Overview
In 2026, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced a new eligibility policy for transgender women, introducing genetic testing requirements and effectively barring transgender athletes from certain categories, especially women's sports. This marked a major shift in the IOC's approach to inclusion and gender equality. The policy was immediately condemned by many human rights and advocacy groups, who argued it would set women's sport back decades. Critics highlighted that the policy undermines progress in inclusivity and fair participation, reflecting deep concerns about the future of transgender athletes in Olympic competitions.