MOSCOW – A female reporter who said she only wants to talk about soccer”systems and strategy” was groped and kissed by a man last week as sheattempted to do a live World Cup broadcast.
Undeterred, Julieth Gonzalez Theran continued with her report Friday fromSaransk for Deutsche Welle’s Spanish news channel but later blasted the fan.
“RESPECT! We do not deserve this treatment,” she wrote in Spanish on anInstagram post that contained video of the incident. “We are equallyvaluable and professionals. I share the joy of football, but we mustidentify the limits of affection and harassment.”
In the video, the man, who has not been identified, runs up as GonzalezTheran is speaking, appearing to touch her breast as he swoops in to kissher on the cheek, and then runs off.
“I had been at the scene for two hours to prepare for the broadcast andthere had been no interruptions,” she added. “When we went live, this fantook advantage of the situation. But afterwards, when I checked to see ifhe was still there, he was gone.”
Gonzalez Theran, who is from Colombia and is based in Berlin according toher Instagram profile, has also worked for ESPN as a freelancer, providingsoccer reports from Germany.
“Lots of people think that the reporter is only there to bring some colorto the picture,” she told Deutsche Welle, “but we want to talk aboutsystems and strategy.”
Bibiana Steinhaus, Germany’s first female referee in the Bundesliga, calledthe man’s behavior “unacceptable.”
“I feel for her, because this type of attack has happened several times inthe past,” Steinhaus told Deutsche Welle. “Don’t kid yourself that similarmisogynist things do not happen.”
Gonzalez Theran said she just wants to keep doing her job.
“For me it is an isolated incident,” she said. “There are always fans thatcompliment you and behave respectfully. This one went too far.”