"It was a starting stance, but the camera was between her legs..." Despite the shocking behavior, Dutch beauty track star speaks out: "We must not treat women's bodies as taboo"

*This content was translated by AI.

"Everyone should act reasonably with each other."

Rikie Klaava (28), a Dutch beauty track star, offered a different perspective on the controversy surrounding close-up shots of female athletes' body parts.

Dutch media Sportsnieuws reported on the 27th (Korea time) that "Klaava recently argued that the regulations issued by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) regarding female track athletes are not necessary."

Klaava is a leading track star representing the Netherlands. She won gold in the 4x400m mixed relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics and has earned numerous medals at the World Championships. With her outstanding beauty and figure, she has many fans, with over 940,000 followers on her personal Instagram account. In 2024, she was also selected as the most beautiful female sports athlete of the year.

The broadcasting regulations from the EBU that prompted her differing opinion were new shooting guidelines aimed at reducing photos and videos that highlight specific body parts of female track athletes. The intent is to prevent excessive zooming in on buttocks, breasts, and groin areas as athletes sit on starting blocks or bend their bodies.

In response, Klaava mentioned a fellow athlete's experience, stating, "I heard one female athlete encountered a situation where the camera was positioned between her legs when she stood at the starting block."

At the same time, she expressed caution about resolving all issues through regulations. Klaava said, "Photojournalists also have an obligation to judge and take responsibility themselves. I believe there are basic norms and values that must be followed when photographing female athletes," adding, "However, such regulations could lead to women's bodies being treated as taboo again. I truly do not want that to happen."

Klaava believes that sports and photography can both be viewed as forms of art. Therefore, she argued that a woman's body appearing in a photograph should not automatically be deemed inappropriate. This means one must comprehensively consider the composition of the photo, the photographer's intent, and the discomfort felt by the athlete.

Klaava continued, "In all areas of life, including track and field, people should treat and act toward each other with common sense. The same applies to how we treat women and their bodies."

She also cited examples where the new guidelines were applied too strictly. Klaava noted, "I saw a case where a photo capturing both the starting block and the relay baton was not allowed simply because her buttocks appeared in it," adding, "If the baton is at the same height as my buttocks, I believe that scene should be acceptable to capture in a photograph."

While photography that objectifies female athletes for sexual purposes must certainly be stopped, Klaava's position is that normal competition scenes should not be restricted merely because a woman's body is visible. Klaava hoped that athletes would respect photojournalists and camera operators, while those taking photos would respect the athletes' bodies and wishes.

He emphasized, "Everyone should act reasonably with each other."

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*This content was translated by AI.