“Because then a lot of people ranz zoom in”
Voyeurism? German national player unpacks
05.02.2025 – 6:03 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Lena Oberdorf talks about a disturbing aspect in women’s football: voyeurism. She reports of unwanted looks and manipulations.
In her podcast “Popcorn and Panenka”, the currently injured Lena Oberdorf from FC Bayern with co-moderator Rena Schwabl discusses why women get up faster after fouls-and reveals a theory. “Because then a lot of people ranks when you are lying,” said Oberdorf.
Oberdorf describes a concrete scene that she particularly disturbed: “I once had a video because there was a guy in Wolfsburg on the grandstand who ran his cell phone when the girls stretched.” She feels exposed to several looks, including that of tensioners, and explained: “Sometimes I think when I lie on the floor: this is an unfavorable position.”
Schwabl asked her if players really think about it. Oberdorf replied: “No, I’m just telling garbage.” But she sticks to her theory: “We are not so much on the floor because we want to continue playing. But the other person has also become an issue for me.”
These incidents are not only limited to the field. Oberdorf reports on her experiences on social media. Hundreds of edited videos from her appear on platforms such as Tikkok. Scenes in which Oberdorf wipes the sweat out of her face with her raised shirt, are underlaid with suggestive music. “I think: ‘Phew, I don’t know …'”
Particularly worrying: With the help of artificial intelligence, clips are shown in alienated scenarios, for example in a fake kiss scene with her former Wolfsburg teammate Jule Brand.
“In fictional stories you become an object. Then I pull Jule back and do with the rum,” said Oberdorf. The 23-year-old makes it clear that she defends herself against this form of digital manipulation. “It is enough! AI is bad and looks very real. Please stop with it.”