1 of 1- RadioActive
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How Should Sports Broadcasters Cover Serious Injuries?
The question emerges again after the terrible injury to Ismael Kone in the Canada-Qatar game on Thursday. I heard a discussion on CFRB's Jerry Agar's show Friday about how he was waiting for a replay of what happened to see how bad the injury was. But the footage never aired, so he went back on his DVR and watched it a second time.
Why wouldn't they rerun something so important? The answer is a policy that's generally acknowledged around all sports broadcasters, who don't want to be responsible for re-airing graphic footage that may not only upset viewers but the family and friends of the injured player.
That's what happened on Thursday according to HBS, Host Broadcast Services, which oversees all the FIFA games.
“Out of respect for the player, for his family, and for our audience, we made the editorial decision, following our standard practices, not to replay the moment. The decision was made in coordination with the TV match director in Vancouver and our quality-control room in Dallas (where the international broadcast centre is located). Our role in a situation like that is to inform without sensationalizing, and we felt the live footage had already told the story.”
Only when it's determined that the injury isn't life threatening or serious do they decide whether to air it again. Otherwise you may never get to revisit it at all.
Ismael Kone: World Cup injury footage – how do sports broadcasters cover serious injuries
Last edited by RadioActive (June 19, 2026 2:15 pm)
- tdotwriter
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Re: How Should Sports Broadcasters Cover Serious Injuries?
This is a tricky one. On one hand, it's respectful to the player, their family, friends and fans to not replay footage of serious injuries in cases where they sustain them, and the networks therefore avoid potentially immoral capitalization on their physical trauma, a moral quality that sets them apart from many social media networks and some of creators, commentators or "re-posters" that they host.
On the other hand, replaying the footage and having it effectively in the public record could potentially help people understand the inherent perils associated with the games and to, in the future, understand the gravity of whatever physical challenges they've endured during their careers.
I saw a clip of it on X, it was borderline impossible for me to watch, and it was taken down within minutes on IP (intellectual property) grounds.
Last edited by tdotwriter (June 19, 2026 4:15 pm)
- mace
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Re: How Should Sports Broadcasters Cover Serious Injuries?
One of the most horrific injuries occured on a November 1985 MNF game between the Redskins and Giants. Lawrence Taylor tackled Joe Theismann which resulted in the snapping of the tibia and fibula in his right leg resulting in piercing of the skin. It was quite sickening seeing the replay from many different angles. The clip is on youtube with a few seconds of the more graphic material having been removed. Fortunately, for Theismann this injury happened near the end of his career. However, what if this had been a fresh out of college top draft pick playing in his first pro NFL game. At 23, his football life is done. Now what does he do with his basketweaving degree?