“I cried, I was scared, but I didn’t want to take any action before the European Championships.” Ekaterina Kurakova filed a complaint against a photographer for creating a sexually explicit photomontage
Ekaterina Kurakova filed a complaint against a photographer for creating a sexually explicit photomontage.
original source: TVP Sport by Sarah Kalisz
Ekaterina Kurakova filed a complaint against a photographer for creating a sexually explicit photomontage. That was published on Polish media TVP sport, cyting “L’Equipe.” Here’s a translation of an artcile posted on TVP Sport.
“According to “L’Equipe,” on Tuesday, Kurakova filed a complaint with the national gendarmerie against a French photographer who created a sexually explicit photomontage of her. He sent it to her privately, promising that it would not be disclosed. However, he did not keep his promise, later posting it among about six hundred photos he took during the Gala des Etoiles on December 22 in Vaujany, where he was contracted by the French federation.
The article reveals shocking details of the case. While preparing for the European Championships in Tallinn, Kurakova noticed she had lost weight and her costume might not fit. She asked friends if there had been “any incident,” but they reassured her there had not been. A few days later, the photographer, who has been a regular visitor to the ice rink for nearly thirty years, contacted her directly with a text message.
He wrote to her, “I saw you have a little problem. Want to see?” The photo, accompanied by the comment, “Just for you,” embarrassed her, as it depicted her in a pirouette exposing both breasts. What was the athlete’s reaction? “I know it could have happened, but it seemed strange. Other people would have reacted, right?” The photographer sent her another text: “Nice boobs… lol,” he wrote to Kurakova. The skater admitted she tried to turn it into a joke, and the man told her she should always keep smiling; it’s better to laugh it off.
As we learn from the article, Kurakova told her coaches about the situation. Irma Bardoux, Secretary General and representative for combating violence in sports at FFSG, sent her an email on January 21. “One of the photos (…) was altered without your consent and shared with third parties before FFSG was informed. The relevant link was immediately removed. I know full well how distressing and unbearable such a situation can be. We are ready to offer support in this matter and assist in taking the necessary steps,” she wrote, indicating that the federation “will notify the Attorney General, as sexual manipulation of an image constitutes a crime” (quotes from “L’Equipe”).
Earlier this week, a report was filed with the prosecutor’s office in Paris. Later, Kurakova learned from a letter written by the legal department of FFSG that after the gala, the photographer sent a file containing over 600 photos to one of the skaters from the French team. This individual then posted the link in an internal WhatsApp group created for the event by FFSG. The group had ten members at the time. The photomontage was also included in the group.
“I cried, I was scared, but I didn’t want to take any action before the European Championships,” Kurakova emphasized in “L’Equipe.” “I felt uneasy, this secret had polluted my mind so much that in Tallinn, during the free program, I continuously checked my tunic. But I didn’t want to cause any drama, I just wanted to focus on my performance,” she said.
Related topics: Ekaterina Kurakova
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