We had already told you about sexism in women’s football but SURPRISE, sexism exists in all sports practiced by women. Ok, you may not be that surprised, but we are still going to show you some very sexist remarks addressed to sportswomen just to share our discomfort with you. Bad taste is present.
1. When cyclists told Jeannie Longo that a woman on a bike was ugly
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The Brut media recently brought us out of the scandalous archives dating from 1987 where we can see Jeannie Longo responding to criticism from Marc Madiot and Laurent Fignon, also pro cyclists, who do not hesitate to say that a woman on a bike is ugly. Or that cycling is too hard for women. Or that female cyclists should wear prettier jerseys. Jeannie Longo does not disassemble for a single second and responds perfectly to the cardboard arguments of her interlocutors, but the video is nonetheless disturbing.
2. When Imke Wübbenhorst, coach of a men’s soccer team, had to answer a stupid sexist question
Imke Wübbenhorst was appointed coach of German club BV Cloppenburg in 2018 and thus became the first woman to coach a professional men’s team (yes, it took until 2018 for that…) Inevitably, being the first, she suffered the plasters of sexist questions from journalists, but she did it in the best way. A reporter once asked her if there was going to be a system in place for players to put their shorts back on before she entered the locker room, to which she replied: “Of course not, I am a professional. I choose my players based on the size of their penis. A badass answer as we like them.
3. When a journalist asked Eugenie Bouchard what she thought of another player’s pregnancy
It happened in July 2016: a journalist saw fit to ask Canadian tennis player Eugénie Bouchard her opinion on the pregnancy of player Victoria Azarenka. The kind of question you never ask male players. Bouchard simply burst out laughing at the absurdity of this intervention before moving on. It’s better when we talk about sports actually.
4. When Eugénie Bouchard had to justify herself on the number of photo shoots she did
Journalists tend to very often comment on the tennis player’s physique instead of talking about her sports performance, so much so that in 2017, Eugénie Bouchard even had to justify herself in an interview on the number of shootings she had done. during this year. She had to remind everyone that her number 1 priority was tennis, that no, she didn’t want to become a model, and that she had only done 2 photo shoots in the year, less than a lot of other athletes At worst, she does what she wants.
5. When a BBC reporter wondered if Marion Bartoli physically compared herself to Sharapova
Just after Bartoli won Wimbledon in 2013, BBC journalist John Inverdale wondered: “Do you think Bartoli’s dad used to tell her when she was little, ‘You’ll never be hot, you’ll never be a Sharapova, so you have to hang on and fight’? » Besides being disgusting, it’s ridiculous, since Sharapova wins matches thanks to her sports performances, not thanks to her beauty.
6. When Michaël Llodra didn’t want Amélie Mauresmo to be captain of the French Davis Cup team
When Michaël Llodra was invited to speak about the presence of Amélie Mauresmo at the head of the French Davis Cup team, we can say that he did not go overboard in terms of sexism: “I love Amélie but I don’t see her in this position, I don’t see her managing a men’s team with all these egos, these characters… […] With a single player, like Andy Murray, it is possible, but not several. It takes a man for that. » Well yeah, it’s well known, women are incapable of having authority… Know that on the same subject, Toni Nadal, Rafa’s uncle and coach at the time, had for his part recommended Mauresmo for the post. And Nadal, he knows what it’s like to coach champions.
7. When Philippe Candeloro commented without flinching on the chest of a figure skater
We can sometimes laugh at Candeloro’s wacky releases, but some of them are still quite shocking. One of the worst dates from the 2014 Olympics, when he commented on the physique of Italian skater Valentina Marchei in the following way: “Ah, she has a lot of Valentina charm, a little bit like Monica Bellucci. Maybe a little less chest, but hey…” Mmmmm how to say? What does skating have to do with it?
8. Nelson Monfort feuded with Candeloro over Italian skater Francesca Lollobrigida
During the same Olympic Games in Sochi, and probably encouraged by the presence of Candeloro, Nelson Monfort felt obliged to also comment on the physique of a skater. This time, it’s about the Italian Francesca Lollobrigida that he dropped a: “She does not have the plastic of her glorious namesake”. Class, very class.
9. Come on, let’s get some more Candeloro in Sochi?
We leave it to you without context because the sentence does the job on its own: “In any case, I know more than one anaconda who would like to come and annoy this young Canadian Cleopatra a little bit…” Honestly ? It’s disgusting.
10. (Bonus) Sports Journalists Are Sexist With Female Tennis Players
To prove that sexism in sport was not some kind of feminist fantasy – as some malicious people might claim – researchers studied 6,467 tennis press conferences between 2000 and 2015. It showed that indeed, sports journalists ask sexist questions to female players, addressing themes that they hardly ever address with men. Much more personal themes, on romantic relationships or becoming a parent, for example. The numbers have spoken: sports journalists are more sexist with women.