Female athletes scrutinized over their weight

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 04: Silver medallists (L-R) Emily Seebohm, Leisel Jones, Alicia Coutts and Melanie Schlanger of Australia pose on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Women

After women were included in every sport in all the national teams in the London Olympics, many relished in delight, but the progress towards equality remains stagnant. A number of female athletes were openly criticized over their weight at the Olympics; among those called fat included the Brazilian women’s soccer team, British Beach Volleyball women, Australia’s 8-time Olympic medalist swimmer Liesel Jones, British heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis and British swimmer Rebecca Adlington. The athletes who should be celebrated as role models for young girls all over the world are instead being scrutinized. In this sense, female athletes have yet another invisible barrier to overcome that most male athletes don’t face.

Chief executive of the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) based in UK, Sue Tibballs stated, “Women athletes will regularly get comments about their appearance although men won’t.”

Tibballs explains, “This really adds to the pressure on women athletes, many of whom already have a disordered attitude towards foods because they are in a controlled routine where weight is a key issue.”

The Aussie media insinuated how the 3-time gold medalist swimmer Liesel Jones was overweight, comparing photographs from the Beijing Olympics with recent ones. Jones is the only female athlete to represent Australia in four Olympic games. A writer from the Melbourne Herald Sun wrote, “It was her appearance that had tongues wagging as much as her bid for history.” Jones admitted that it was “pretty hurtful,” especially since the upsetting remarks were coming from someone in her own country. Fortunately, readers lashed back at the media showing their full support and love for their Olympic athlete. Fellow Aussie swimmer Melanie Schlanger also tweeted, “U can’t judge fitness from looks anyway and how about we don’t criticize at all.”

Jones quipped, “So thanks to the journalist who decided to write not-so-nice comments about me, because you’ve never made me feel so loved in my life, so thank you.”

The Brazilian women’s soccer team faced similar appraisal, though not from the media. After Cameroon’s disappointing loss against Brazil with a score of 5-0, the Cameroon coach remarked the Brazilian women’s soccer team appeared “a bit heavy.” Taking it all in stride, many of these athletes are fighting back. American weightlifter Holly Mangold voiced her opinion on the lack of focus on fitness and abilities over body image; weighing 346 pounds (157 kilograms), Mangold is comfortable with her weight.

“Between my team mate and I, I think we both showed you can be athletic at any size,” said Mangold.

Mangold explains, “I’m not saying everyone is an athlete but I am saying an athlete can come in any size.”

18-year-old British weightlighter Zoe Smith also fought back against her critics who made petty insults on Twitter, calling her a man and a lesbian. Smith fought back, “We, as any women with an ounce of self-confidence would, prefer our men to be confident enough in themselves to not feel emasculated by the fact that we aren’t weak and feeble.”

The verdict? The media and the viewers at home should acknowledge that female athletes come in all sizes. Fit doesn’t have a defined size. These female athletes are role-models for young women everywhere. They are their country’s pride. These athletes prove there is more to a woman than her appearance.