2 days ago
World Rowing criticised for failing to remove historical videos of topless women filmed during races
Words by ITV News Sports Producer Joe Wardropper, Sports Editor Steve Scott and Producer Esme Jones
World Rowing has been criticised for failing to remove a video from its website in which women were filmed sunbathing topless by a river during a World Cup women's race, ITV News can reveal.
The footage, which was still available on the governing body's official website on Wednesday afternoon, was filmed during a race in Munich in the 1990s.
The coverage twice cuts away from the race action to focus in on topless women, who are seemingly unaware they were being filmed.
World Rowing was alerted to the existence of the video almost a week ago by Alan Sinclair, a former Team GB Olympic rower, and European Champion, who was reviewing old race footage as part of his job as a coach.
Sinclair told ITV News he was ''horrified'' by what he saw.
When first reporting the video to World Rowing, Sinclair cited ITV News' investigation into serious allegations at the world's oldest club, urging the governing body to act quickly.
''With the rowing world being in the news in the UK… it is vital that World Rowing sets an example by recognising - promptly - this issue,'' he wrote.
''I would have thought that World Rowing, as the international governing body, would want to be setting a precedent in making the rowing world a safe, respectful and inclusive place for all, especially with something that should have been so easily and swiftly corrected. We can do so much better."
Sinclair told ITV News he first contacted World Rowing about the video on June 5 and received a reply on the same day from its European President, Annamarie Phelps, who acknowledged the video was ''shocking''.
She then alerted a safeguarding officer at World Rowing, who promised to ''coordinate with the communications team to determine the appropriate course of action.''
Sinclair sent multiple follow-up emails, with Phelps replying on Saturday to say she had requested it be removed ''immediately'', before adding: ''I suspect nothing will happen until Monday.''
But the video has remained live on the website since.
In his email to World Rowing, Sinclair said their failure to act made him ''question how seriously you [World Rowing] are taking this situation.''
''The women being filmed deserve at the very least the respect of the videos being removed and that should have happened yesterday'', he wrote, a day after contacting the organisation.
