FIFA diversity boss Federico Addiechi has revealed that the organization has asked broadcasters to stop focusing on "hot women" in the stands during games of the 2018 World Cup, according to the BBC.
"This is one of the activities that we definitely will have in the future – it’s a normal evolution. We've done it with individual broadcasters. We've done it with our host broadcast services," the official told the press, as cited by the British broadcaster, when he was asked if it would become an official policy.
Although it is not a "proactive campaign," according to Addiechi, FIFA would "take action against things that are wrong."
The FIFA official also said that the association, along with the local organizing committee and police, responded to reported cases of inappropriate advances by fans during the days of the tournament. Some of them have been forced to leave the country.
According to FARE network (Football Against Racism in Europe), which is fighting xenophobia in sports, most registered cases of discrimination concerned sexism, although ahead of the FIFA 2018 World Cup the media speculated that homophobia and racism would be the main concerns.
READ MORE: Brazil Opens Criminal Probe Against Fans for Insulting Woman at FIFA World Cup
The organization’s director Piara Powar told the BBC that more than 30 cases have been documented, pointing out that the number in fact can be 10 times bigger. Mainly Russian women were "accosted in the streets" by male fans, while several female reporters were grabbed or kissed while on duty.
The prospect to party with regular and dear to many fans broadcasting trope has triggered a storm on Twitter.
FIFA has told its broadcast service to stop zooming in on “hot women” in the crowd.
— Bitcoinization ⚡️ (@bitcoinization) 12 июля 2018 г.
If you get zoomed at the World Cup it isn't because you are hot, it means you are ugly AF.
This is sad, how about "hot men"? Isn't that sexism to zoom in on them?https://t.co/U5XyB1HfWf
@loverandomleigh @FIFAWorldCup booooooo!!! We are supposed to look at men playing football now? ffs!! FIFA tells TV broadcasters to stop focusing on 'hot women' in the crowd during football matches https://t.co/pb8uw8Jpy4
— God Monster (@hootin_heck) 12 июля 2018 г.
And show more of Sep Blatter???
— michaelkpoh (@michaelkpoh) 12 июля 2018 г.
FIFA wants fewer images of attractive women in World Cup stadiums shown on future broadcasts, with sexism being a bigger problem than racism in Russia, according to anti-discrimination experts advising FIFA. https://t.co/fqsbZKUMxd
Sexism???????? Since when has admiring a good looking woman been sexism?https://t.co/ZReTPrTV9U
— Rik Moran (@TheRikMoran) 12 июля 2018 г.
Others suspected a feminist conspiracy.
Here's an idea — why don't you #FIFA @BBC take photos also of attractive men! Or is the issue really just plain old ENVY where butt-ugly feminists get their size XL knickers in a knot. I'm guessing the problem would not exist if the opposite were true! https://t.co/Lig94r3yms
— Tania Groth (@ForFreedomDK) 12 июля 2018 г.
There were those who stand with FIFA on the matter.
I agree with FIFA if women fans are shown to sexualize soccer https://t.co/wPxBikyIK9
— Kimya N. Dennis (@KimyaNDennisPhD) 12 июля 2018 г.
The problem isn't that broadcasts show women fans, but that they only show attractive women fans. At least parts of FIFA are acknowledging this https://t.co/vzH8lG3mYf
— Tim Hirschel-Burns (@TimH_B) 12 июля 2018 г.
