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Bending the Rules

Media Representations of Gender During an International Sporting Event

University of Waikato, New Zealand

Toni Bruce

University of Waikato, New Zealand, tbruce{at}waikato.ac.nz

Extensive qualitative research shows that, even at its best, media coverage of women athletes tends to be ambivalent, meaning that it juxtaposes positive descriptions and images with descriptions and images that undermine and trivialize women’s efforts and successes. However, researchers have rarely explored the implications of nationalism — in particular during global sports events — for coverage of women’s sport. This analysis of media coverage of Cathy Freeman during the Sydney 2000 Olympics points to an instance in which gender lost its place as the primary media framing device because of Freeman’s importance as a symbol of national reconciliation.

Key Words: Cathy Freeman • gender • media coverage • national identity • Sydney 2000 Olympic Games

International Review for the Sociology of Sport, Vol. 38, No. 4, 387-396 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/1012690203384001


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