Accredited photographers have been observed taking sexualized, voyeuristic images of athletes that are later distributed on pornography websites and among collectors of pornographic images. As with other emergent forms of digital voyeurism, such as upskirting, these images are taken in public places in such a way that they capture compromising moments without any awareness on the part of the victim, and expand the temporal and geographical scope of the intrusion. Such a prurient use of photographs can be devastating and humiliating for the athletes. An examination of the ambiguity of an image’s meaning, especially in the eyes of the law, is used to demonstrate the inadequacy of legal approaches to policing these kinds of voyeurism. In addition, an exploration of the culture of sports journalism, where the priority of self-promotion and competition often underscores the lack of attention given to the rampant sexism that frequently pervades the profession, is used to illustrate the apparent factors that precipitate and maintain the practice of sports voyeurism. Recommendations for potential interventions and further research are provided.
