It is a decision that speaks. The members of the French cycling team, who traveled to Wollongong in Australia for the Worlds from September 18 to 25, did not have the same privileges to travel.
Indeed, some of the riders, including the reigning double world champion Julian Alaphilippe, were able to spend the 20 hours of flight in business class, while the women, but also the rest of the delegation including hopefuls and juniors, girls and boys, as well as all the staff, had to settle for the economy class. This choice raises criticism. On social networks, many Internet users were indignant at this difference in treatment, and accused the FFC of discrimination.
The French Cycling Federation (FFC) assumed its decision, explaining it by the consequent cost of travel to Australia. “It is very, very expensive. Some countries like Ireland have decided not to take part in the World Championships. We asked ourselves the question of whether we were taking all the categories, in particular the juniors. We did it. But we do not have the means to put everyone in business, ”declared to AFP the DTN Christophe Manin, who gave up the trip for the sake of economy.
To make its choice, the FFC indicated that it was based on a sporting criterion by favoring those who have a chance of winning medals or the title. “For men, we have been world champions for two years. We are really going there to win, when we are more in the position of outsiders among girls, ”insisted the DTN. Before ensuring that “if we had the Mountain Bike World Championships in Australia with the same economic choice to make, we would have put the two girls in business and the boys in eco”, since Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Loana Lecomte have better results than men in this discipline.
“Girls it’s useless so we fuck you in eco”
Obviously, the explanations of the FFC were not enough. The former tennis player, notably winner of Wimbledon in 2013, Marion Bartoli was also indignant at the microphone of RMC.
“Girls, it’s useless, so we’re giving you a 20-hour flight. You will take a week to recover but it does not matter. You are not defending a title, you have no chance of winning anything. On the other hand men, yes it is interesting and important, so business. It’s shameful, unacceptable, I’m sorry. Today, in 2022, we come to such sexism where women are the last wheel of the carriage and it is useless. I have no words,” slammed Bartoli. This story may not have finished talking.