A deadly tracking shot on a motorcycle

We sit comfortably on the sofa. TV is on. Sports. Something always comes somewhere. Of course, if we really want to be there everywhere, we have to be quite imaginative in terms of arguments in order to justify the additional expenditure for all programs to our hearts. The cake was not divided into individual pieces, but into crumbs. Everyone is fighting for market shares, for TV ratings, which should help in successful acquisition on the advertising market. The images sent are of course of enormous importance. The motto is to be in the middle of it all and not just be part of it. We, who watch from outside, have become voyeurs of sensations. The effort that goes into this goes beyond some of the organizers' budgets, even if the technology helps. We want to see drops of sweat, witness the efforts of those active, and admire their efforts. Or just get an insight into the system. With mini cameras that can be attached to virtually any part of sports equipment. We have long seen the Formula 1 track from the pilot's point of view and like to take daring turns on our soft surface with the cracks of the motorcycle scene. Sports broadcasts tickle our nerve cells. Boredom is forbidden. After all, we pay to be introduced practically directly into the athletes' bloodstream. We want action. Proximity creates danger The effects, of course, are sometimes difficult to control. I was commentating on the Madonna di Campiglio slalom in 2015 when Marcel Hirscher suddenly seemed to lose his balance for a brief moment in the second round. What happened: A drone that was filming his run from above crashed to the ground. Just a touch behind him. You don't have to have prophetic gifts to imagine what might have happened if the flying camera had hit the athlete. When the cycling elite ride through an alley of enthusiastic fans on their tours of Europe, one sometimes fears for the health of the protagonists. Most of the time everything goes well and it is probably impossible to completely secure a stage with fences. In front of them comes the entire entourage of support vehicles and of course the motorcyclists with cameramen who sit backwards behind the driver. They zoom in on faces and legs. They race back and forth between those in the lead and the peloton. And there have been quite a few situations in the past in which disasters could only be avoided with a lot of luck and certainly skill. The finish areas in cycling in particular are a constant source of danger and it is almost a miracle that so far there have only been any injuries. But now it has happened. At the Ironman in Hamburg, a motorcyclist with a cameraman and a cyclist who was on the second stage of his triathlon collided on a passage that was far too narrow and where there was also oncoming traffic. The cyclist was taken to the clinic with serious injuries. The motorcyclist died at the scene of the accident. His cameraman remained uninjured. The competition continued nonetheless. This is an irritating decision that is difficult to understand. Germany's best triathlete Jan Frodeno, who came fourth, hardly found any words afterwards, especially since he probably noticed the accident from the sidelines, as far as that was possible, because of course his head is bent low over the handlebars in order to minimize wind resistance. The accident is also the result of visual reporting that only seems to be considered contemporary the closer you are to the athletes. This has already led to morally reprehensible actions that are also sexist, such as climbing. There was a scandal two years ago when the camera lingered on an athlete's bottom for a long time. And it was also shown in slow motion. It is time to give the athletes back some intimacy and it is also necessary to hold the organizers accountable in every respect. There can and should be a little more distance in the future, because ultimately practicing a sport is a private matter, even if it is often only possible at the highest level if it is made public. The death of the motorcyclist in Hamburg must be a wake-up call. Observing is good and should be. Voyeurism has no place. The author: Sigi Heinrich The award-winning sports journalist and Eurosport commentator (including the German Television Prize, the Bavarian Sports Prize, the Biathlon Award and the World Sports Trophy) dedicates his column “Sigi's Peaks” to the entire diversity of sport and also likes to poach in other areas . Sometimes with a smile and a wink, sometimes seriously or deliberately provocative. There should be something for everyone.

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A deadly tracking shot on a motorcycle

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