The 2018 World Cup matches on German television were first commented on by a woman. Many were not ready for this

For the first time in the history of German public television, the matches of the World Cup were commented on by a woman-a 54-year-old journalist of the ZDF television channel Claudia Neumann. Until now, women have not worked at tournaments of this level. Although Neumann is an experienced commentator, not everyone in Germany was ready to listen to her voice during matches. But despite attacks and insults in social networks, everything goes to the fact that in the future the female commentary of male football will become commonplace.

Claudia Neumann has loved football since childhood, and comments - since 1991

The journalist said that her fascination with football began with matches in the courtyard in which she participated with the boys. In 1991, Neumann began working on television and then first tried herself as a football commentator. In different years, she also commented on tennis, cycling and the Olympic Games, but judging by the biography on the ZDF website, football has always remained its specialization. At first, Neumann commented on women's football, but since the beginning of the two thousandths she worked at men's matches.

Neumann has already commented on matches in major tournaments - but this did not save from sexist statements in social networks

In 2016, Claudia Neumann commented on national television matches of the European Championship, which also caused a negative reaction in social networks. The 2018 tournament showed that the German public is still not ready to watch football with a female commentator. Twitter users complained about the “ unpleasant voice ” of the journalist and her pronunciation , noticed all the reservations and actual mistakes, complained about her unemotionalism and celebration , and simply poured insults . Sending such messages, many noted that they evaluate the work of Neumann objectively, and the fact that she is a woman does not play any role.

“Claudia Neumann is as emotional and fascinating as a dance group from the Schwargvald House of the elderly. But I understand. The equality of sexes. "

There were those who praised Neumann in social networks and ridiculed her ill -wishers

“[Commentator] Steffen Zimon sees at the stadium a long -dead football player: - Well, with whom it doesn’t. Claudia Neumann forgets to say “millions” and immediately straightens himself: “Hahaha!” It is so stupid and unacceptable! Kill it, ZDF! Of course, this has nothing to do with sexism. ”

“Just a pleasure to listen to Claudia Neumann's comments. Emotionally, but with understanding of the matter, sometimes louder, sometimes quieter, then faster, then more degree. Much better than the comments of Steffens, Bartels and many of her other colleagues-muzhin. Thank you, ZDF. "

The ZDF TV channel stood up for Neumann, and another German television company promised to hire a commentator-woman

Sammers of the television company, responding to users on social networks, talk about the competence and experience of the journalist. On June 29, the channel announced that he would sue two people who wrote about Neumann "extremely dismissive comments." The press service of ZDF did not quote these messages. The company noted only that we are talking about insults and calls for committing a crime.

The ARD public television company began to look for a woman - a football commentator, but representatives of the channel admitted that so far there are few applicants for this position. “We are working on this, but we see according to strange and negative reactions that a woman working [football] commentator should be very confident to cope with this situation,” said the Axel Balkuski sports coordinator.

Claudia Neumann is not very worried about social networks

According to the journalist, she was ready for a negative reaction, and insults to her more upset her not her very, but her authorities. The journalist herself does not pay attention to ill -wishers, and Twitter does not read at all. “After all, they criticize me as a person, we are talking about the fact that women had the arrogance of appearing in football in noticeable positions,” explained Claudia Neumann in an interview with Die Zeit. - You can only call people again: study longer, improve, expand the horizons. So they learn to accept the point of view of others. ”

Neumann does not consider himself a feminist

The journalist often repeats that in commenting on male football there is nothing special for her, that it was just a logical stage of her career and that she owes success only to herself, and not “female quota”. Neumann does not consider himself a feminist. “I am not an authorized woman for women. If my younger colleagues of my gender need advice, always please, but I'm not a fighter for the idea, ”she said in an interview with two years ago.

Women have not yet commented on the finals of the world championships. But this is a matter of time

In recent years, women's commentary in men's football can be heard more and more often. Among the colleagues of Claudia Neumann in the 2018 championship is Vicki Sparks, who works at the BBC, a commentator on the American Fox USA Eli Wagner, Hannah Marklund, working for the Swedish TV channel, and the Argentine journalist Viviana Vila, commenting on the American Spain Telemundo Channel.

Claudia Neumann will not comment on the final match of the 2018 World Cup on July 15-her contract provided for work at several matches of the tournament, the last of which was the meeting of Belgium and Japan in the 1/8 finals. However, she and other female commentators are sure that in the future it is quite possible.

Anna Laletina , Berlin