Female athletes at the World Athletics Championships in Doha have lodged complaints over the use of cameras on starting blocks, saying they show their bodies from unflattering angles.

These cameras look directly up at the runners in sprint races as they line up at the starting blocks of sprint races, and are filmed by the local broadcasters.

German racers Tatjana Pinto and Gina Luckenkemper both lodged formal complaints to the IAAF about the cameras.

Luckenhemper, 22, said: "I find it very unpleasant stepping over these cameras as I get into the blocks wearing these scanty clothes.

"Was a woman involved in developing this camera? I don't think so. We were probably not the only ones to lodge a protest."

As a result, German athletics bosses have demanded that the footage only be displayed once the runners are already on the starting blocks.

In addition, the camera footage will be deleted every day, the German authorities have been reassured.

British 100m silver medallist Dina Asher Smith was ribbed by her friends, via text messages, who have watched the cameras on TV.

She said: "My friends tell me the video of the block camera angles aren't very flattering. And like my best friends in the group chat, they didn't send me pictures so I knew when they said that they were talking about me.

"I was like, 'For goodness sake, let me just make sure my make-up is fresh.'

"So I can make this work somehow. I had a mishap because this one's very glittery and it got all over my cheeks. I spent 20 minutes trying to get it right."

The IAAF had heralded the cameras as "innovative" during its introduction last month, that "athletics fans around the globe will be closer to the action than ever before."