The 2024 Paris Olympics have been lauded for achieving gender parity, with equal numbers of male and female athletes competing. Yet, the reality beneath the surface tells a more complex story. Despite significant strides in the representation and performance of female athletes, sexism remains a pervasive issue in the Olympic arena. From the commentary to the camera work and even the uniforms, the subtle presence of misogyny still taints women’s accomplishments in sports.
Casual Sexism and Misogyny
The world of sports commentary has been known for sexist remarks, and the Olympics are no exception. Recently, a Eurosport commentator, Bob Ballard, was suspended after suggesting that female swimmers were busy fixing their makeup, which shows the persistent trivialisation of women’s achievements in sports.
After Australia won the 4x100m freestyle relay, Ballard said, “Well, the women are just finishing up. You know what women are like … hanging around, doing their makeup.” The commentator later apologised, stating that he had no intention of belittling anyone.
Similarly, during a tennis match, a commentator from RMC radio reduced a female player to a stereotypical housewife, saying, “She does everything: The washing up, the cooking, the mopping up.”
These comments reflect a broader culture still struggling to see female athletes above traditional gender roles.
Visual Representation and Objectification
Sexism in the Olympics extends beyond words to the way female athletes are visually represented. The Olympic Broadcasting Services CEO Yiannis Exarchos had to issue warnings to camera operators against framing female athletes in ways that perpetuate sexist stereotypes. He acknowledged the issue, stating, “Unfortunately, in some events they [women] are still being filmed in a way that you can identify that stereotype and sexism remains, even from the way in which some camera operators are framing differently men and women athletes.”
The objectification of female athletes is not a new problem. A 2016 study by language experts at Cambridge University revealed that the media coverage of women in sports primarily focuses on their appearance, clothing, and personal lives, rather than their athletic achievements. This emphasis on aesthetics over athletics diminishes these women’s hard work and dedication to their sports.
Uniforms and Double Standards
The issue of sexist uniforms has also been a matter of discussion in women’s sports. Until two years ago, female beach volleyball players were mandated to wear bikinis, while their male counterparts had the choice of shorts and tank tops. This double standard was highlighted in 2021 when the Norwegian women’s team defied the rules by competing in shorts instead of bikini bottoms. The team was fined 1,500 euros for violating the International Handball Association’s dress code, which mandates that women wear bikini-style bottoms with a “close fit and cut on an upward angle toward the top of the leg.” This incident sparked widespread criticism all around the world.
Key Issue and Path Forward
While female athletes continue to break records and defy expectations, they are often celebrated not for their strength and skill, but for their looks and adherence to traditional gender roles. Cheri Bradish, an associate professor of sports marketing at Toronto Metropolitan University, highlighted this issue, saying, “Elite female athletes are making great strides in their performance, but misogynistic culture and undertones are still pervasive.” She added, “Male athletes are celebrated, and described in adjectives that really discuss the strength of their athleticism. There’s always a shift, unfortunately, still, where female athletes are analyzed for the intrinsic, aesthetic and really outside-of-the-realm of sport perspectives.”
Female athletes continue to push boundaries and achieve new heights, but they remain trapped in a culture that too often values their appearance over their accomplishments. It seems like it will take continued efforts and advocacy to ensure that future generations of female athletes are judged solely on their performance, not their gender.
