Jakarta. The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission, or KPI, said on Sunday (18/09) it was not responsible for the visual censorship of a female swimmer who was being interviewed by a national television broadcaster during the National Sports Week in Bandung, West Java.

Screen captures from the TV interview showing blurred images of Margaretha Herawati's body went viral on social media and triggered criticism from netizens who objected to the overzealous self-censorship.

The pictures of the athlete in her swimming costume were blurred ostensibly to avoid punishment from the broadcasting commission, which prohibits TV broadcasters from showing female nudity.

KPI's content monitoring coordinator Hardly Stefano Pariela said the commission never ordered the broadcaster to blur the swimmer's body, but it will investigate if the pictures were taken at a hotel or in a more public place.

"They could've asked the athlete to cover herself with a towel during the interview, right?" Hardly said.

Hardly said even during swimming competitions cameramen should limit themselves to long shots of female swimmers to prevent from sexually exploiting them.