... to call for more sensitive interviewing of young athletes?

[hepsitemiz]

I mean, is it too much to ask?

Today the BBC intercepted a GB olympic diver who had just performed disappointingly. I'm afraid I didn't retain her name, but she was being touted as a medal hope.

To paraphrase the interviewer quite liberally, he said something along the lines of "you were hoping for a medal and you only came 6th. How does that make you feel?"

How could he not have died of shame when her face crumpled and she said that basically not so long ago she was suicidal, so was just happy to be here and supported by her family. With all the signs being that she could barely hold it together, and after she pointedly repeated that she just wanted to to see her family poolside, he said something like "not so fast, let's delve a little more into why, despite your obvious talent, you missed out on a medal this time".

I mean, do they get extra points when they make someone cry?

IITMTA for more sensitive post-performance interviews?

YABU - yes, it is too much to ask
YANBU - no, it is not too much to ask

Call them out on their, and their employer's, socials.

Who was the equestrian who, when interviewed, just said "I can't talk" and stared blankly at the camera until the presenter moved on?
I think her teammates quickly picked up the slack in that one but I felt awful for her too. She was clearly doing her absolute best to hold it together.

Interviews have been awful and generally insensitive.

There was one this evening who asked an athlete who had been a dead cert for a medal, who came in 4th, had the race gone as he had planned!

God yes, I thought the same! I wanted to grab her and say you’re only 19, years ahead of you, you did fantastic to reach this point especially in light of your struggles. She is quite the inspiration, just wanted to hug her and pull her away from that dreadful interviewer!

It was dreadful to watch and I have complained to the bbc . We need more people to register formal complaint and maybe the bbc will listen !

Stop with the media barrage surely?! It was an uncomfortable interview, so give her her peace......

1. She was crying. Asking how she felt was not necessary. The visual footage told a thousand words.

1. She's not ashamed of having had suicidal thoughts. Nobody has suggested she has.

1. If she has given multiple interviews where she has spoken of her suicidal intentions, the reported should have been aware of this.

1. He should be ashamed of himself for asking the bleeding obvious without an iota of tact or sense.

1. The interviewer is a first-class pillock.

That's Fred from first dates daughter

Agreed it was appalling. After she had disclosed that three years ago she hadn’t wanted to live, he should have stopped. It was unbelievable that he continued with a total lack of compassion or empathy. I was embarrassed for his complete ineptitude and desperately sorry for her.

Thanks for the link to the BBC to complain.

Yes it was awful. Poor girl I was in tears. Should have been stopped.

I've just watched a "Dad daughter moment" on BBC where a tearful female teen was shown off to a camera while her dad took glory for "comforting" her - poor gir looked like she just wanted a hug and not to be filmed but his ego was wangong on about how "you win some you lose some" and other tired platitudes she didn't need. Cringe worthy.

That interview wasn't too bad tbh. She was worked up but understood why she was upset too. She at least could verbalise it.

There's been other interviews that have been much more uncomfortable than that this Olympics and I don't think it's good. Previous Olympics have not had such intrusive interviews with athletes. I can't put my finger on why and what the difference is, but it's noticeably more uncomfortable and awkward.

Also Andrea has a father in television so perhaps better placed in terms of support with the media, ultimately. Others I think are more vulnerable.

I thought the same with the Tom and Noah interview. He could barely speak bless him it clearly is still raw. Thankfully he had Tom by his side who is well trained but still, Noah suffers with MH issues and is quite young still so give the poor guy a break.

I didnt see it, but that imo is a breach of duty of care (Health and Safety at Work Act). The HSE should call it in and investigate esp given her disclosure about her mental health. What an absolute AH. Honestly people like this should not be allowed to interview others and what for? Ratings. They need to apologise and so do the BBC.

I hope she is OK.

Btw, I think the BBC should be cut loose to sink or swim, how can we be required to pay for a licence to watch channels that dont benefit from the licence fee? Its beyond me that go through, I dont recall being consulted...!

I completely agree, several of the BBC interviewers at this Olympics have been absolutely appalling, and the athletes generally have managed to respond with good grace. The same idiotic man who was interviewing Andrea also made a girl at the Judo cry.

A friend and I were saying we miss Phil who used to interview the athletes and always knew the right thing to say, he was wonderful. And I also think of John Inverdale crying when he consoled the rowers who came 2nd in 2012 and were in tears.

It's shit from the BBC.

I've seen it. The first question - fine standard but once she answered it in the way she did he should have wrapped it up with the we're really proud of you etc now go see your family.

When she said I want to see my family he said "we'll let you go in a minute" that was ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING

Just done this on their Facebook post

Thank you for the link, I've made a complaint. It's really exploitative reporting, and clearly done in the hopes of triggering an emotional response. I'd hoped the BBC might be a bit better seeing as so many of the athletes are so young.

This year they've all been asked about their 'emotions' in the athletics, rather than about the sport - I haven't found the athletics interviewing to be good at all.

I’ve complained too. Thanks for the link. It was disgraceful reporting.

The judo one I think was one of the worst I've seen.

I can’t seem to watch this video at all and would like the see the other Judo interview also but have they been taken down ? I have tried but am unable to watch them.

Ok this is something I do know a bit about, I have worked at two large sporting events as a volunteer in the "mixed zone" where the press interview athletes.

Firstly, athletes do not have to stop and talk to anyone. Some will walk straight through the mixed zone without stopping and say nothing. Others are whisked away straight after competing for a doping test and never even walk through the mixed zone. Press/TV are behind barriers separating them from the athletes so can't reach out and physically stop them. Sometimes athletes will have a preferred journalist/broadcaster who they want to talk to and won't talk to anyone else (although there's nothing to stop all the other press/tv recording what they say to that person and using it). Athletes are free to walk away at any time if they have had enough or don't like the way the questions are going. It is not unusual to see very disappointed/upset people who have just lost.

Yes the diver is very young but this is not her first rodeo, she has been competing for several years and will have done this dozens of times before. She will know the rules and has chosen to stop and talk to the press. You can argue that the press should be interviewing differently, but again they know and she knows that she can just walk off at any time.

You say she can walk off at any time but I expect she, like many others will be caught in a "please let me go so I don't seem like I'm walking off" mode