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Stephy Zhang

The swimmer whose wardrobe malfunction was shown online has said she might sue organisers, while a total photography ban at a beach volleyball tournament in Japan has opened up a fresh debate about athlete protection.
At the annual Xing-Quan Dishui Lake Swim-Crossing Challenge, several three-quarter shots of a female swimmer accidentally exposing herself were displayed on an official tournament platform for more than 10,000 users for over an hour.
The victim, Ms Chen, said it had taken four days for the Shanghai Triathlon Club to call her, but there were still images of her online.
“I saw people asking under some videos if anyone had this photo, and others claiming they did. I hope to completely stop the dissemination of the photo,” she said in an interview.
Organisers have claimed the sheer number of contestants made monitoring every image impossible, a defence rejected by legal experts.

Li Weijie, a partner at Shanghai I-LAND Law Offices, said the incident violated privacy rights and organisers who had an “obligation to vet uploaded photos” could face administrative penalties.
The local backlash triggered by the incident coincided with another troubling incident in Japan, where sports governing bodies took a hard line against voyeurism and sexually suggestive photography targeting female athletes.
Following an incident on the first day of the two-day Nagoya Hekinan round of the 2026 Japan Beach Volleyball Tour last weekend, the Japan Volleyball Association announced a total ban on all recording devices, including smartphones.
The ban will continue into the main round this weekend.
Officials said there had been evidence of “malicious filming behaviour” and that “inappropriate recording” had not improved despite repeated warnings.
The association said players taking part in the tournament, which doubled up as part of the selection process for this year’s Asian Games, had complained.
“Our highest priority is to protect an environment where competing athletes can concentrate on the competition with peace of mind,” the JVA said.
Although voyeuristic photography with sexual intent has long plagued Japanese sports, particularly beach volleyball, such strict bans remain rare in professional events because tournament officials find it difficult to bar fans whose social media posts helped promote events and boost exposure.
While Japan has enforced zero-tolerance policies, Chinese sports events still lack digital privacy regulation.
Even after a 2010 incident where a training video of Olympic diving champion Guo Jingjing was leaked, officials took no substantive action beyond calls to “strengthen management”.
Sixteen years later, most domestic competitions lack binding protocols, relying instead on basic media manuals that merely ban taking images in locker rooms, despite the China Photographers Association issuing a Code of Professional Ethics in 2024 that urges sports photographers to respect privacy and refrain from publishing intrusive images.


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Japan bans all photography at beach volleyball over voyeurism; China swimsuit mum could sue

The Japan Volleyball Association announced a ban on all recording devices after an incident at the Nagoya Hekinan round of the Japan Beach Volleyball Tour last weekend. Photo: Handout

Photos of a woman who accidentally exposed herself during a swimming event in Shanghai were on display for more than an hour. Photo: Shanghai Triathlon Club

Chinese event organisers slammed after displaying photos of swimmer’s wardrobe malfunction

Another athlete, surnamed Zhang, condemned the “inappropriate photography” at the 2026 Xing-Quan Dishui Lake Swim-Crossing Challenge on her social media. Photo: Shanghai Traithlon Club

Pixelated screenshots saved by Zhang showed that the five images on display were close-up shots of the female swimmer, rather than an accidental capture. Photo: RedNote

The 2026 Xing-Quan Dishui Lake Swim-Crossing Challenge live photo platform shows various participants. Photo: handout

Almost 3,000 people took part in the race. Photo: Shanghai Triathlon Club

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Wu Mengjie (red jersey) in action during the 2025 Women’s Volleyball Nations League match between China and Belgium. Photo: Xinhua

Head coach Zhao Yong (left) admitted injuries are hampering preparations for Volleyball Nations League. Photo: Xinhua

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Women’s safety behind Japanese decision while woman who suffered wardrobe malfunction in Shanghai wants dissemination of her photos stopped


Women’s safety behind Japanese decision while woman who suffered wardrobe malfunction in Shanghai wants dissemination of her photos stopped.


Guo Jingjing

Japan bans all photography at beach volleyball over voyeurism; China swimsuit mum could sue

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Women’s safety behind Japanese decision while woman who suffered wardrobe malfunction in Shanghai wants dissemination of her photos stopped

Women’s safety behind Japanese decision while woman who suffered wardrobe malfunction in Shanghai wants dissemination of her photos stopped