Milan Cortina: insults and threats to the champion, shame on social media
Too often on social networks one can read obscene messages aimed at athletes as a result of their poor performance. This is the case, for example, with Pola Beltowska: the young Polish athlete, making her debut in the Olympic Games, jumped 82 meters in the mixed team ski jumping competition and Poland failed to qualify for the final. Immediately after her performance she received so many despicable messages that forced the Polish ski federation to issue an official statement.
“We do not and will never tolerate the’hatred directed at Pola Beltowska. What we are witnessing has crossed all limits of sports criticism. It is a personal attack that causes suffering not only to the athlete, but also to those close to her. A line has been crossed. Any athlete can face substantial evaluation of her performance but no one can accept hate and private messages such as those received by Pola”.
“As a federation we support our athletes. We support them not only in moments of triumph, but especially when they become targets of ruthless attacks. Pola has our full support: concrete, human and with the’assistance of a psychologist working with the team. Pola Beltowska earned her place in the Olympics through hard work in the World Cup. She is one of the country’s best athletes and ranked among the top 50 ski jumpers in the world in the most important event in the past four years. These are facts that no amount of anonymous hate will change” the note continued.
“Incitement to hate kills passion, destroys the psyche and undermines the foundations of the sport. It also effectively discourages young people who dream of representing Poland. If we do not say “enough” we will lose the talents that we, as a country, should cherish. Pula, we are with you”. Thousands of users, from Poland and beyond, have sent messages of support to the young champion in the past few hours, urging her not to heed the hate messages she received after her performance.
