Denmark follows Norway – streaming of youth handball sets on break
The Danish website Sports monitor informs that the break has been implemented with immediate effect and that the ethical aspects must be investigated in more detail. The same decision was taken by a number of Norwegian special associations on 13 January.
Norwegian sports decided a week and a half ago that all ongoing projects with the streaming company MyGame will be put on hold in age-specific classes. Six special associations are involved, among them handball.
In Denmark, Sportway is responsible for streaming. The company merged with MyGame last fall.
The Danish Handball Association announced before Christmas that the initiative with robot-controlled cameras was to be increased from 70 to 250 halls. The cameras had to stream matches from the U15 team upwards.
– There has been a lot of input from people that we can promote a performance culture in the youngest cohorts. That is absolutely not what we want, says DHF’s managing director Henrik M. Jacobsen to Idrætsmonitor.
Jacobsen says that it is experiences and concerns from “a few clubs” that have created the uncertainty. Development manager Karin Ingemann at the Danish Sports Confederation (DIF) says it must go through thoroughly.
– An internal working group is investigating whether there is an increased risk of mobbing and digital shaming, whether it leads to a greater focus on results, rather than what we want, namely a focus on development, and whether it goes beyond the freedom of sports, says Ingemann.
The much-discussed streaming issue in Norway was discussed at the sports association’s board meeting on Thursday last week.
NIF must, in collaboration with eleven higher education institutions, come up with a common plan for its work. It will be external analysis and quality assurance and work in focus groups. A preliminary report must be in place on 1 May.