This compilation of clips has been circulating on social media with the claim that Iran’s coverage of the Paris Olympic Games is heavily censored. In the video, floating black boxes appear to cover female athletes’ bare skin as they compete in sports such as track and field events or diving. These claim posts are often accompanied by statements about the political, religious, and social landscape in Iran – critiquing Islamic ideologies, women’s rights issues, and media censorship.

However, while the clips depict sporting events and Farsi/Persian commentary can be heard in the background, the footage appears grainy and low-resolution for video supposedly recorded in 2024. We were also unable to spot any identifying logos or markers which could locate the clips in Paris Olympics specifically – further solidifying our suspicion that the clips are not of the recent Games.

Finally, a reverse image search of several screengrabs showed that this specific compilation of clips has been in circulation as early as 2016, with the original source video dating back to 2013. According to fact-checks we found from 2016 and again in 2019,  these clips featuring female athletes covered by censorship boxes were taken from a satirical program called Onten, which was produced an America-based broadcaster, Farsi Voice of America (FVOA). While FVOA does target Iranian audiences, it is not and has never been broadcast on Iranian TV.According to the creators, the content was produced as satirical commentary on Iran’s lack of coverage of women’s sports. While Iranian TV does refrain from airing many women’s sports events (particularly those where Islamic standards for women’s dress are not met), there is no example of censorship in the way portrayed by the Onten clip.

Therefore, the claim that the video shows how women’s sports are being broadcast on Iranian television during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games is false. The clips were made as satire in 2013 and have been used in several different Olympic cycles – from 2016 to present day – in order to misrepresent the way women’s sports are aired in Iran.

The persistent resurfacing of this video over the years despite being consistently and easily debunked illustrates the persistent and sometimes illogical way misinformation lingers and spreads. By relying on certain preconceptions and narratives, bad actors are able to use videos such as this one to gain traction and leverage the popularity of the Olympics for views and attention.

The issues surrounding censorship and women’s sports in Iran is sensitive and has been widely debated since the original satirical video was produced in 2013. The presence of misinformation only detracts from fruitful conversations or critique and can add to resentment and misunderstandings about the actual issues as well.