‘Hyper sensitive “Female Athletics frown at starting block cameras

 

Female athletes have reacted angrily to new close-up cameras at the World Athletics Championships which they say show their bodies from intimate angles.

The miniature cameras within the athletes’ starting blocks are meant to ‘capture the intense moment just before a race’.

But women say the camera makes them uncomfortable as they have to climb over it in the moments before a race.

One German athlete, sprinter Gina Lückenkemper, told Bild: ‘Was a woman involved in developing this camera? I don’t think so.’

German sprinter Gina Lückenkemper (left at the starting block) said the cameras make her uncomfortable as she has to climb over the intrusive camera in the moments before a race. She went on: ‘I find it very uncomfortable climbing over this camera in skimpy running clothes to go to the starting block.’

Tatjana Pinto, another German competitor at the championships in Doha this week, has also complained about the new cameras.

As a result, German athletics bosses have demanded that the footage only be displayed once the runners are already on the starting blocks. In addition, the camera footage will be deleted every day, the German authorities have been reassured.

Governing body IAAF heralded the ‘innovative’ new camera angle when they announced its introduction earlier this month.

One IAAF official apparently felt that felt ‘audience was missing a crucial moment of the drama by not being able to see the athletes’ faces at the start of sprint race’.

‘The new cameras within the blocks will capture that intense moment just before a race,’ IAAF broadcast director James Lord explained.

The IAAF has already been beset by controversy over Qatar’s hosting of the athletics championships.

Former long-distance champion Haile Gebrselassie said ‘it was a mistake to conduct the championship in such hot weather in Doha, especially the marathon race’.