This hard-hitting video points out exactly what is wrong with media coverage of women athletes

Why not ask male athletes the same questions about their physical attributes, as asked to women athletes.

Written by: Deepak Gupta

Published: August 13, 2016, 10:16 PM IST

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Rio Olympics 2016 are ongoing and athletes from across the world are amazing us with their skills and achievement. Sports as whole, since its inception far in the time to present has come a long way. So has the sports persons. One of the most important revolution is when women were given their long due participation in the sports back in history. Women’s participation increased hugely in later part of 20th century.

However the concern is, how these women athletes are covered by media. There lies a whole line of events depicting focus of media being on the physical attributes of women more than thier athletic skills and achievement. Sexist comments by the commentators, unfitting interview questions, and writing pieces commenting on physical appearance not only reduces a woman athletes’s accomplishments, but also sends a picture that a woman is evaluated based on her looks whereas abilities are considered less to be covered. (ALSO READ: Rio Olymipcs 2016: At 13 years Joseph Schooling met his hero Michael Phelps, 8 years later he beats his hero in 100m Butterfly finals)

Cover The Athlete posted a video last year in winters of 2015, but the video is relevant in present situation as well and probably will be relevant till the time media does away with their sexist features on women athletes. The video hammers the point spot on and shows what exactly needs to be changed.

In the video, a voice from behind, asks male athletes questions, which have been asked to women athletes for a long time and it is obvious that male athletes flipped at it. A startled Michael Phelps is seen in the video when the voice from behind asked whether removing his body hair gives him an edge in  his love life, as it does in the pool.

Watch the video here: