French pole vaulter welcomes new rules against sexualizing female athletes

French pole vaulter Marie-Julie Bonnin has expressed her strong support for new guidelines issued by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) aimed at preventing the sexualization of female athletes. Bonnin described the guidelines, released in mid-June, as a significant step forward, stating she was "hyper happy" to see such measures implemented.

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When I learned that this guide was released, I was hyper happy. I think it was something that we had accepted despite ourselves.

She recounted personal experiences of discomfort with media portrayals, including videos and photographs that she felt lacked sporting relevance and focused inappropriately on her body. "I saw videos, photos of me where I said to myself, why do they post that? It has no sporting interest," Bonnin shared, adding that she felt uneasy with the positions captured and was unable to reshare them.

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I saw videos, photos of me where I said: why do they post that? It has no sporting interest. I found myself in positions… I was even uncomfortable seeing those photos and I was unable to reshare them.

Addressing the common argument that athletes should avoid wearing revealing attire, Bonnin clarified that their competition uniform, often described as "panties," is standard for the sport. "It's our competition outfit, quite simply," she asserted, emphasizing that while it is their uniform, they do not consent to shots that serve no athletic purpose.

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Often, we are told: they just have to not jump in panties. First, you need to know that for us, it is a symbol. We start training in shorts, thinking that panties are for the big girls, for the strong ones. In fact, it's our competition outfit, quite simply.

"I do sports and I don't want them to film my butt from below. It serves no purpose at all. I don't want to find myself in weird positions on the internet," Bonnin stated firmly. She also highlighted the broader impact of her advocacy, noting supportive messages from mothers who are grateful for her efforts to protect their daughters from similar objectification. The new EBU rules are scheduled to take effect at the European Championships in Birmingham from August 10 to 16.

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I do sports and I don't want them to film my butt from below. It serves no purpose at all. I don't want to find myself in weird positions on the internet. It serves no purpose.