“RESPECT! We do not deserve this treatment,” she wrote on an Instagram post that contained video of the incident. “We are equally valuable and professionals. I share the joy of football, but we must identify the limits of affection and harassment.”
In the video, the man – who has not been identified – runs up to Gonzalez Theran, appearing to touch her breast as he swoops in to kiss her on the cheek and then runs off.
#RUSIA2018
— DW (Español) (@dw_espanol) June 14, 2018
Comienza el Mundial y nuestra reportera @JULIETHCGT se encuentra demasiado cerca de los hinchas en el corazón de Moscú. [ko] pic.twitter.com/oMkHoUv6jy
“I had been at the scene for two hours to prepare for the broadcast and there had been no interruptions,” she added. “When we went live, this fan took advantage of the situation. But afterwards, when I checked to see if he was still there, he was gone.”
Gonzalez Theran is from Colombia and is based in Berlin, according to her Instagram profile. She has also worked for ESPN, according to her LinkedIn page. “Lots of people think that the reporter is only there to bring some color to the picture,” she told Deutsche Welle, “but we want to talk about systems and strategy.”
Bibiana Steinhaus, Germany’s first female referee in the Bundesliga, called the man’s behavior “unacceptable.”
“I feel for her, because this type of attack has happened several times in the past,” Steinhaus told Deutsche Welle. “Don’t kid yourself that similar misogynist things do not happen.”
Gonzalez Theran said she just wants to keep doing her job.
“For me it is an isolated incident,” she said. “There are always fans that compliment you and behave respectfully. This one went too far.”
