Sports | Media coverage of women’s sport: what women want
HeYes, I am against women cycling. Sports should have an aesthetic aspect, when you take it, you lose 50% (…) You are ugly, forgive me. I will watch women ride bikes the day they wear nicer jerseys, shorts and shoes.“Marc Madiot, with a blue-white-and-red jersey on his shoulders and a cheeky smile on his face, gave a masterclass in sexism to Jeannie Longo, who had a hard time getting him into the program during the 1987 Tour de France. Jacques Chancelin’s “To Each His Own” public of service. After 35 years, stupid and bad misogyny is out of fashion. The advances in media coverage and treatment of women’s sport are wonderful. But we are a long way from Madiot’s declarations. as pure and hard equality with gentlemen.
“This is progress, but it is not enough, treatment is not as it should be“, Marie-Jose Pérec interrogates within Tignes Sports Stars (like other witnesses of this file, except for Matilde Gros). The legend of French sports referees, but if he “After the Sydney Olympics, France suffered the biggest media lynching of an athlete. (had left Australia before entering the competition), (s) his speeches had the resonance they deserved at that time. I was very media, but it’s the exception that proves the rule.“Today, while some disciplines benefit from almost the same coverage (track cycling, mountain biking, athletics, swimming, winter sports, tennis, etc.), others are clearly lagging behind, especially football. Gridz Mbok will not say otherwise. French international (71 caps), Brestoise won the Champions League six times with his club Lyon, making less of an impact than his regular Ligue 1 counterparts at national level.
“We always have a bit of a bad feeling. When you win the C1, you don’t necessarily make the headlines the next day… Men’s football takes up so much space that it leaves us with little. The public doesn’t know, they don’t really know when we play. We are looking for media coverage even if the D1 matches are broadcast on Canal+.“
“Except for experts, no one knows that I am the vice-champion of the boxing world”
During the World Cup (2019) in France, exceptional enthusiasm did not have a bright future: “It’s frustrating, we blew up the audience numbers. It’s a shame not to trust him more to win people over“, Mbock continues, admitting that he often discusses this topic with his teammates in Lion and Blue, but not with the boys. In the case of the Royal sport, a difference in intensity, tactics or technique compared to men is suggested by critics. But the differences do not arise anywhere : more funds are invested in boys from childhood, more money is invested in clubs and men’s training centers, more sponsors come in, and in women’s football a shorter history (the first World Cup in 1991)… In newspapers or on television, coverage of previous controversies. but it remains a need outside of international competitions.
“Lack of media coverage leads to lack of sponsors. I dare to hope that by Paris-2024, sportswomen will be in the center of attention with their performances and the messages they will carry.”continues Sarah Ourahmoune (also read below), while former wheelchair tennis champion Michael Jeremiasz made a little more money: “He who: “I’m not interested in women’s sports”, based on what? Everyone has their preferences, you have to let people choose, but for that you have to put them in a situation of choice.“
The problem is profound in certain disciplines, such as boxing. Caroline Cruveillier details: “No one but the experts know that I am the vice world champion (- 54 kg)”, smiled the Istrean, who began the search for the 2024 Olympic Games.Do I feel unfair? i think yes he grumbles. When I became the European champion, I had some repercussions, but apart from my silver medal, no one called me or gave me an interview. Provence. It means I may have more to prove and more medals to win so people will talk about me. With Paris-2024, the issue will be resolved, if we can win a medal, we will talk about ourselves and we will manage to change everything. But it is a long-term job. I hope that soon there will be balance and more justice.“While waiting for more resources to be put on the table and concrete results, time remains the best ally to change mentalities. The best proof? Marc Madiot. His co-sponsor FDJ has been funding one of the best teams from the world of women’s cycling since 2017.
