Journalist leaves North Ossetia in protest against discrimination of female athletes

Kristina Kokaeva, a journalist, has quit the "Ossetia-Iryston" TV Channel after she was prohibited to invite the female athletes, who practise "masculine" sports, to take part in her broadcasts.

Kristina wrote on the Facebook that in December 2019, a programme was recorded with the participation of athletes Irina Makeeva and Timur Ailyarov. "Finally, only the conversation with Timur was put on air, while we were told to cut the footage with Irina out to the maximum ... Because we shouldn't promote men's sports among women," Kristina Kokaeva has written.

The channel's policy "is contrary to my principles; and I was not ready to adapt to censorship," the woman wrote, adding that earlier, those who had a tattoo or a deep cut in the dress, or even someone sang in English, were cut out of TV programmes.

This incident is a manifestation of gender stereotypes of the TV Channel bosses, Irina Kosterina, the programme coordinator of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, believes.

"The strict division into women's and men's sports is gradually disappearing. I think that one's personal prejudices played the role in this case," Mr Kosterina has stated, adding that in North Ossetia, there are no strict religious restrictions on girls' participation in sports.

Ms Kosterina pointed to the double standards existing in the society. "For some reason, no one refuses to show beautiful girls in swimsuits," she has noted.