The producer of the lifestyle program RTVS, a Slovak broadcaster, and the journalist who asked the question apologized to Jessica Campbell of Germany.
20.5. 18:20 • Updated May 20th. 18:23
A former national team hockey coach for the German national team Jessica Campbell is the first female coach at the World Championships. Head coach Toni Söderholm a Canadian from the coaching team led an interview on Wednesday that caused great confusion.
Editor of the Slovak broadcaster RTVS Barbora Ziacikova TV interviewed Campbell, who specializes in skating and individual coaching, after training in Germany.
– What is it like to be on a team when you are a beautiful woman and the team is full of handsome men? Maybe you like some of the men more than others, Ziacikova hinted.
– Sorry, I don’t understand what you’re trying to say, Campbell wondered.
The reporter repeated the question, which Campbell answered with embarrassment.
– This is my job and my profession. Players do their own work. We have a strong relationship with players in hockey and nothing else is involved.
After the interviews, Campbell told the German media manager that he did not like the questions from the Slovak journalist.
– Unfortunately, there was a misunderstanding in the interview situation. The question was in line with the topic of the program. I’m sure Barbora didn’t mean it badly, and didn’t want to offend Jessica Campbell at all, Lintner, a member of the program’s creative team, commented on what happened.
Lintner is a former professional hockey player himself. He has played in the NHL, KHL, Elitserien, the Swiss NLA and the Finnish Champions League in the SaiPa shirt, among others. Lintner was also winning the only Slovak World Cup gold in Sweden in 2002 20 years ago.
Ziacikova also comments on her own interview situation on the site.
– I sincerely regret this situation. I want to apologize to Jessica face to face as soon as possible. I try to do the job I love to the best of my ability. I understand that in this context, my question was a mistake. I regret it.
Representatives of the Slovak broadcaster told Brainee that the company had been in contact with a German media manager. They try to arrange a new encounter for Ziaciko and Campbell so that the former can apologize in person.
Canadian coach Campbell has played once in the Women’s World Cup. In addition to the German national team, he coached the DEL League in Nuremberg this season, where he took great responsibility for the team’s superiority game.
Head coach Söderholm told Urheilu that Campbell has brought exactly the kind of new power to the team that the selection sought.
– The reception among the players has been good. His eyes are pretty good on technical know-how, and he’s done that kind of work before. He has a lot of energy and he is tirelessly looking for solutions to the problems that arise, Söderholm praised.
Story updated 20.5. 10:15 p.m .: Added information about Richard Lintner’s hockey career.