Olympic Commentators Are Already Reducing Women Athletes At Rio To Stereotypes
Article originally published 08/08/2016: due to a technical issue this article may have resurfaced for some readers, and the original publish date may not have been visible.
It’s 2016. Yet despite running countries and being cosmonauts, women are not getting the respect their achievements deserve as athletes at the Rio Olympics.
Take judo. Majlinda Kelmendi made history when she became Kosovo’s first ever Olympic medallist - and a gold medallist to boot.
Her triumph in the 52kg event against Italy’s Odette Giuffrid marked a huge moment for a war-torn country that declared independence from Serbia eight years ago, and was only admitted into the International Olympic Committee in 2014.
And yet many viewers were taken aback as one BBC commentator described the contest - a sophisticated match-up of strength and guile - as a “catfight”.
I was bored when I thought this was a serious event between two athletes, but it's good now I know it's a catfight pic.twitter.com/vSf8hmMKok
— a truly evolved man (@jaggings) August 7, 2016
Many others were equally unimpressed.
@BBCSport and yet your commentators called it a #catfight not acceptable
— Rachel Marcer (@recramred) August 7, 2016
No words after hearing a @BBCSport commentator describe the women's judo final as a "cat fight". #RioOlympics2016#femaleathletes
— Vicky Roberts (@vickyroberts09) August 7, 2016
Watching women's judo in the OLYMPICS and the announcer refers to it as a "cat fight" 😕
— Mark Farina (@MarkAFarina) August 7, 2016
@BBCSport Womens Judo Final - male commentator "it's gonna be a catfight" WTF see if you can find a commentator who's in the 21st century
— Liz Roberts (@redliz99) August 7, 2016
BBC announcer describing female judo as a 'cat fight'= not okay. #RioOlympics2016
— AlexandriaJInnes (@Online_Andri) August 7, 2016
So the Aussie commentator just described the #judo olympics womens final with two professional athletes as a "cat fight" #sexist#Olympics
— Sophie Phillips (@SophieMorsman) August 7, 2016
But Kelmendi and Giuffrid weren’t the only ones being reduced to an approximation of their sex.
Corey Cogdell-Unrein won a bronze medal in the women’s trap shooting - the second for the US shooting team in Rio and her second Olympic medal.
This is how the Chicago Tribune reported the news.
Wife of a Bears' lineman wins a bronze medal today in Rio Olympics https://t.co/kwZoGY0xAXpic.twitter.com/VZrjOvr80h
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) August 7, 2016
There was some displeasure that a double Olympic medallist was less noteworthy than their not-as-successful partner.
You spelled "3-time Olympian Corey Cogdell-Unrein wins second bronze medal today in Rio Olympics" wrong. https://t.co/jZSsCYYgkv
— Copy McPasty, Writer (@KashannKilson) August 7, 2016
Identifying her as "two-time Olympic medal winner Corey Cogdell-Unrein" would have worked, too. https://t.co/p2fLUmOO8n
— Paige Cornwell (@pgcornwell) August 7, 2016
Her name's Corey Cogdell-Unrein and she's more famous than he is https://t.co/arFhDMkDpb
— James Tyler (@JamesTylerESPN) August 7, 2016
Her name is Corey Cogdell-Unrein, not "wife of...." -- and she just won her 2nd bronze medal. Welcome to 2016. https://t.co/AlKIXMLpiv
— Connie Schultz (@ConnieSchultz) August 8, 2016
After the Twitter outcry, the Tribune appeared to correct the message.
Corey Cogdell-Unrein won the bronze medal in women's trap shooting. It's her second Olympic bronze. https://t.co/wHJXs87hkN
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) August 7, 2016
Yet the husband connection persisted.
Note @chicagotribune still finds it URGENTLY NECESSARY to tell you who Corey Cogdell-Unrein's husband is. pic.twitter.com/WhTUMDK0SA
— Angie Manfredi (@misskubelik) August 7, 2016
To repeat: it is 2016.
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost UK and has been updated.