A television journalist covering the FIFA World Cup in Moscow had her breast grabbed and was kissed on the cheek by a man during a live broadcast shortly before the start of a game late last week.
Julieth Gonzalez Theran, a reporter for German TV news channel Deutsche Welle, was broadcasting from Manezhnaya Square when a man rushed into the frame and grabbed Theran’s breast while kissing her on the cheek.
The Colombian native posted a video of the attack on her Instagram, saying “RESPECT! We do not deserve this treatment.”
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“We are equally valuable and professional,” Theran wrote. “I share the joy of football, but we must identify the limits of affection and harassment.”
Her post has been viewed over 35,000 times since being posted five days ago.
Deutsche Welle also condemned the attack on the reporter, saying it was “not a kiss, it is a non-consensual attack.”
“Sexual harassment is not okay. It needs to stop. In football, and elsewhere,” Deutsche Welle Sports wrote on social media.
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Theran told Deutsche Welle that she had been preparing for the live broadcast for two hours without interruption.
“When we went live, this fan took advantage of the situation,” she said. “But afterwards, when I checked to see if he was still there, he was gone.”
“For me it is an isolated incident,” Theran added. “There are always fans that compliment you and behave respectfully. This one went too far.”