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Original poster

John Inverdale, for example ...

154 replies

Wuldric · 07/07/2013 09:45

Women get judged by how they look rather than by how they perform. This comment by John Inverdale has me seething. How is it even remotely acceptable in this day and age?

OP posts:
Crumbledwalnuts · 07/07/2013 11:16

?We poked fun, in a nice way, about how she looks, but Marion Bartoli is an incredible role model.?

What a huge stinky worm-ridden poo this man is.

TheDoctrineOfAllan · 07/07/2013 11:14

How can you poke fun in a nice way about how someone looks?

Yes you can talk about how their build, height etc affects their game (Agassi the returner vs Sampras the server, for example) but that has fuck all to do with hair colour, looks etc.

Dolallytats · 07/07/2013 11:12

I just read the Twitter page. I am so shocked at the comments. It is a seriously disturbed world we live in when so many people make comments like that based on appearance.

Does she eat babies before a tennis match or are the comments really because she is not 'pretty' (whatever that is).

I despair...

GetStuffezd · 07/07/2013 11:11

Is he saying that "beauty" is required to be a natural athlete? Hmm

nameequality · 07/07/2013 11:07

Well she clearly is a "natural athlete" unless somehow he's implying she is unnatural.

bemybebe · 07/07/2013 11:05

And please, give me Mr Funny, Smart and Handsome to comment on big sport events. Even on the radio.

bemybebe · 07/07/2013 11:00

The tweets are just scary. But it is BBC statement, the John Inverdate later comments that get me.

A BBC spokesperson said: "We accept that this remark was insensitive and for that we apologise."

Inverdale later said he had poked fun "in a nice way at how she looks".

He added: "She is an incredible role model for people who aren't born with all the attributes of natural athletes".

He is a professional sports commentator. BBC is supposedly the best. So so sad.

nameequality · 07/07/2013 10:43
nameequality · 07/07/2013 10:42

John Inverdale has been basically saying this for days. I often listen to Wimbledon in the car on Five Live. I said to my DH a few days ago that he is having a go at Bartolli's appearance every chance he can get. Have just listened online to 4 July coverage -3 days ago! bbc.in/19DKr4T at 7m27 "you don't have to be 6 foot with a blond pony tail to get to the top"

FFS yes hair colour and style have no impact apart from on how John Inverdale rates their looks

GetStuffezd · 07/07/2013 10:37

It's the venom behind those twitter comments that gets me. What has this woman actually done to inspire such hatred? And if you really don't like the woman, why do negative comments have to be so sexually aggressive? It genuinely worries me.

Crumbledwalnuts · 07/07/2013 10:35

I think the Beeb FULL of ostensibly right-on people who actually seethe with gender resentment and hatred, it's because they've had to be very pro-active about positive discrimination and equal rights and deep down inside the men hate it. Just my theory!

soimpressed · 07/07/2013 10:35

I can't believe that a presenter on the BBC can get away with making a comment like this.

BuffytheReasonableFeminist · 07/07/2013 10:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Crumbledwalnuts · 07/07/2013 10:28

John Inverdale is an idiot of the highest order with a wind tunnel for a brain.

LittleAbruzzenBear · 07/07/2013 10:26

I was upset about this too. I had a go at one of DH's friends last year because he said female cyclists have tree-trunk legs. I argued that they do not, they are toned and healthy and more to the point it isn't a fecking beauty parade. He is like many men (not my DH!) who is into the Kournikova type, submissive, girlie, get your kit off for FHM types. Female athletes all have different body shapes like normal people, but what matters is what they do, not how they look. It is always ugly men that make such comments, which makes it all the more annoying.

NicholasTeakozy · 07/07/2013 10:26

I have to admit to cringing when he said all this and then he made things worse with every subsequent sentence. Why he couldn't just focus on her obvious skill and the many years of hard work that have gone into her achievement I have no idea.

bemybebe · 07/07/2013 10:26

achieved (not achievement obviously)

bemybebe · 07/07/2013 10:25

Bartoli is obviously in top form just achievement her life goal. Can you say the same about yourself John Inverdale?

bemybebe · 07/07/2013 10:22

Totally Kveta. What just gave me the second rush of breathlessness is the supposed BBC apology.

A BBC spokesperson said: "We accept that this remark was insensitive and for that we apologise."

Insensitive?? WTF, go to fucking specsavers people!!

Original poster
Wuldric · 07/07/2013 10:08

I have complained to the BBC. Why should my licence fee be used to promote sexism?

OP posts:
Kveta · 07/07/2013 10:05

Am I missing something here? She looks perfectly normal and presentable to me! And is clearly an incredible sportswoman.

BuffytheReasonableFeminist · 07/07/2013 10:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Wishfulmakeupping · 07/07/2013 10:02

What a response though :) that pisses all over his comments love it

bemybebe · 07/07/2013 10:00

Was looking to start this thread also... just fucking speechless. Again.

scallopsrgreat · 07/07/2013 10:00

They also have Bartoli's response to Inverdale

Asked about Inverdale's comments, Bartoli said: "It doesn't matter, honestly. Am not blonde, yes. That is a fact. Have I dreamt of having a model contract? No. I'm sorry.

But have I dreamt about winning Wimbledon? Absolutely, yes."