Abstract
This study applies mediatization theory to examine how female Winter Olympians experience and negotiate media interactions in an era of rapid transformation in sports communication. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 10 female winter Olympians who competed at PyeongChang 2018 and/or Beijing 2022, this study reveals that despite radical transformations in the sports media landscape, traditional media coverage remains important for the participants; yet, it becomes a challenge rather than an asset when they are faced with a crisis. Furthermore, from the beginning of their sports career female athletes were left to deal with navigating difficult situations on their own, without prior media relations training. The findings suggest that - in light of profound issues female athletes were experiencing early on in their career at the junior level - sports organizations should dedicate resources to conducting media relations training for younger athletes in order to develop comprehensive media strategies.
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