Linda Cerruti: Synchronized swimmer, 28, SLAMS sexist comments on raunchy bikini pic with medals
SAVONA, ITALY: Italian Olympian Linda Cerruti, who competes in synchronized swimming, has denounced the disgusting sexist remarks she received on a picture of herself showcasing her medals. The 28-year-old athlete won six silver and two bronze medals at the European Aquatics Championships in Rome in early August. Cerruti highlighted her well-earned accomplishments with a post on Instagram.
The athlete was shown posing with the ocean in the background and wearing a bikini with a leopard design. In the photo, the eight medals that Cerruti had won were visible hanging from her lean, tan legs as she performed a split in the air. Over 89,000 people liked the picture, and a lot of them gushed over her amazing accomplishment.
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But only a couple of days later, Cerruti posted a response on Instagram, claiming that the photograph had attracted a large number of sexist remarks. The sportsperson posted a screenshot of an Italian-written remark that read, "Nice medals, but the space between medals 4 and 5 isn’t bad either." A second comment said, "Very good... in the pool and outside."
In a long response, Cerruti stated that the image was meant to be artistic and did not deserve the barrage of insulting remarks that objectified her body. She wrote, "Two days ago I shared a photo taken at the beach where I always go, where I developed my first dreams, a place that has great symbolic value for me. She added, "The photo shows me in an artistic pose, typical of my sport, upside down and doing the splits, along with the eight medals I won during the best European Championship of my career."
"I am literally shocked and disgusted by the hundreds, probably thousands, of inappropriate, sexist comments and vulgar people responsible for them. After over 20 years of training and sacrifice, I find it SHAMEFUL to say the least, and it is heartbreaking to read the hordes of people making jokes that sexualize my body," blasted the athlete. "Is a bum and two legs really the only thing there and the main topic of conversation? The minimum, and the only thing I can do, is expose the inappropriateness of those comments, mirroring a society that is still very masculine and different to the one I would like to be born into and raise my children one day. "
Although Cerruti blacked out the identity of the sexist commenter in the screenshot, her female fans encouraged her to reveal their names as well as that of other misogynists. A person wrote, "Let’s see names and surnames of these imbeciles." Meanwhile, a number of Italian commenters joined in, applauding Cerruti's provocative shot. "You are our pride! All idiots hide behind their screens," said a fan.