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Emakumeen Euskadi Bira poster 2016.JPGBasque women's race pulls poster after sexism claims
Organisers of a women’s bike race in Spain’s Basque region have withdrawn a poster advertising the event following complaints that it is sexist – although they insist it isn’t.
The poster for the Euskal Emakumeen Bira shows last year’s winner, the Rabobank-Liv rider Katarzyna Niewiadoma, blowing a kiss at the camera.
The image attracted complaints from Basque women’s organisation, Anderebide de Iurreta, reports Mugalari.info.
The director of the five-day, UCI 2.1-ranked race, Agustín Ruiz, said: "We're going to change the poster to avoid complaints being made and the situation getting worse. As an organisation, we want to avoid conflict."
He insisted however that he personally did not believe that the poster was at all sexist.
Last year organisers of men’s cobbled Classic race the E3 Harlbeke pulled a poster showing a hand, complete with cycling mitt, apparently about to touch a women’s bottom, referencing the moment two years earlier when Peter Sagan groped a podium hostess.
And in 2014, Stockton Borough Council recalled leaflets that showed a smiling male cyclist on the front with the words, “Sarah’s shopping in Stockton with the girls. I’m signed up for Stockton’s Sportive. That’s Saturday sorted.”
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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12 comments
One imagines a comparable poster for a men's race will show the leader and main contenders in action on a mountain, or at least cycling, or doing something athletic.
Not just posing and blowing a kiss.
That's the difference and what the complaints are about. Common sense really.
If you can't imagine them using a similar poster with Contador blowing a kiss and a shot of the back of JRod's head showing his hairstyle, then it's probably sexist.
In what universe is kissing sexist?
#1 - in Europe, it is a common greeting - males to males, females to females, males to females, females to males. It is neither sexist nor specifically sexual.
#2 - if it is *sexual*, then it indicates some level of interest, between a person and someone *they are interested in* (including males to males, females to females, males to females, females to males). There is no sexual bias shown.
#3 - if it's a harmless "whee, I won!" gesture, it is neither sexual nor sexist, but a natural expression of joy and interaction with fans and sponsors, see #1
the idiocy level of people who would complain about something like this staggers the mind.
Idiots will be offended by anything.
PC gone bonkers.
It will classed as sexist for asking someone out next... Too late.
Oh well at least there are apps for dating.
Ffs!
Nice welcoming environment you guys are creating down here in the comments section. You won't have to worry about many other women venturing out of the kitchen and on to bikes with the attitudes on display here.
This story reminds me of a tweet Ricky Gervais made yesterday.
"Why did the chicken cross.."
"What, cross dress? That's funny is it? Fucking fascist"
"No, I was going to say road"
"Ooh back pedalling"
"Nice" to see that other countries suffer the same level of hysterical idiocy we have to put up with.
It's a light hearted photo of last year's winner for pitys sake.
I Googled the group making the complaint. Their Facebook page has 4 (yes, four) likes. Maybe the organisers of the race should have just ignored them??
It's not sexist. But it's not helpful in a sport where women struggle to get themselves taken seriously and be treated equally in terms of pay, prize money, sponsorship and media coverage. This kind of image reinforces a pretty lame, trivial view of female athletes.
ah, i thought that it was the long blonde hair under the helmet that was sexist, or the nails ... ; beware of the PC brigade because next time women won't be allowed to even smile ...
I would like some female opinion on this, but seeing as this a women's race and the poster depicts the last year's winner, can this be considered sexist?
Not remotely sexist.