More than half of sports federations in Japan have taken action against the recording and distribution of sexualized images of athletes. Women are particularly affected by the problem.
Wednesday marked the fourth anniversary of the release of a joint statement by the Japanese Olympic Committee and seven other sports organizations.
62 Japanese sports associations have already taken action
Of 126 sports associations surveyed by the Japan Sports Authority between April and June, 62 of the 113 responding organizations said they had taken countermeasures.
Many of these measures affect the venues of sporting events. This includes designating special areas for photographers, issuing permits and monitoring spectators by event staff and security personnel. Forty-two associations have also set up advice and reporting centers for athletes.
The Japanese Judo Association banned the recording or use of videos or photos that appeared to harass athletes or damage their reputations.
The Japanese Para-Volleyball Federation banned the use of telephoto lenses without permission and warned viewers not to publish photos that show the bodies of athletes, especially women, and have nothing to do with the sport or competition.
The Japanese sports authority compiled a list of problems in dealing with the problem of sexual harassment. This includes the difficulty of preventing unauthorized photography in large sports venues with large spectators and identifying the increasingly miniaturized photography equipment.
Evaluating whether a video or photos were taken to depict athletes in a sexualized manner also poses problems.
The law against voyeurism needs to be improved
Last year, Japan passed a new law against voyeurism, but it does not apply to athletes wearing sportswear because it is difficult to determine sexual intentions of those taking the images. There are therefore calls to change the law.
Some Japanese sports associations that have not yet taken action have cited a lack of human resources as the reason for this. A spokesman for the sports authority called on sports associations to take action as this alone would give athletes a certain sense of security.
Sporting goods manufacturers have now also reacted. Mizuno developed a material for its clothing that prevents unauthorized recordings with infrared cameras. Japan’s women’s volleyball, table tennis and hockey teams used this technology in their jerseys at the Paris Olympics.
