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dc.contributor.authorN. Eagleman, Andrea
dc.contributor.authorM. Rodenberg, Ryan
dc.contributor.authorLee, Soonhwan
dc.date.accessioned2017-05-03T16:17:58Z
dc.date.available2017-05-03T16:17:58Z
dc.date.issued2014
dc.date.modified2014-09-04T04:26:39Z
dc.identifier.issn2159676X
dc.identifier.doi10.1080/2159676X.2013.877961
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10072/62711
dc.description.abstractPlagued by criticism for its athletes being deemed too young and fragile, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) increased its minimum age eligibility policy for Olympic gymnasts from 15 to 16 in 1997 in an attempt to shift media perceptions of the sport in a more positive direction, lengthen gymnasts' careers, and prevent injuries and burnout. Utilising framing theory, this study sought to determine how US-based newspapers portrayed Olympic gymnasts' age and physical appearance over the course of eight Olympic Games, how these portrayals changed over time, and whether coverage changed after the FIG's minimum age rule increase. US newspaper articles from every Olympics from 1984 through 2012 were analysed using qualitative document analysis methodology. Results revealed changes over time coinciding with the minimum age rule implementation. Portrayals of age shifted, with younger gymnasts being described as children and kids in the earlier years of the study and as teens or women in the later years, although language used in quotes by national sport organisations was found to perpetuate the stereotype of gymnasts as children. Regarding physical appearance, height and weight were focused on in the earlier years and excluded from coverage in the later years, although these aspects re-emerged in 2008 due to the intense scrutiny surrounding the Chinese women's team, who were involved in an age falsification controversy. The results illustrated the powerful framing function of the media, how those outside the media can influence frames, and how controversial issues can impact media portrayals.
dc.description.peerreviewedYes
dc.description.publicationstatusYes
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherRoutledge
dc.publisher.placeUnited Kingdom
dc.relation.ispartofstudentpublicationN
dc.relation.ispartofpagefrom1
dc.relation.ispartofpageto21
dc.relation.ispartofissuen/a
dc.relation.ispartofjournalQualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health
dc.rights.retentionY
dc.subject.fieldofresearchCommerce, Management, Tourism and Services not elsewhere classified
dc.subject.fieldofresearchHuman Movement and Sports Sciences
dc.subject.fieldofresearchSpecialist Studies in Education
dc.subject.fieldofresearchSociology
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode159999
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode1106
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode1303
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode1608
dc.titleFrom “hollow-eyed pixies” to “team of adults”: Media portrayals of Olympic women’s gymnastics before and after an increased minimum age policy
dc.typeJournal article
dc.type.descriptionC1 - Articles
dc.type.codeC - Journal Articles
gro.hasfulltextNo Full Text
gro.griffith.authorGeurin, Andrea


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