“People should be ashamed.”
In a January 23 Instagram post, former world No. 4 tennis player Jelena Dokic spoke out about the harassment and grossophobia she has experienced since her Australian Open TV appearances.
The Australian does interviews with players after their matches.
To discover
Watch the Business Masterclass “Investing can be learned” in replay
"What happened ?"
“These are just a few examples,” the 39-year-old ex-player wrote under five screenshots of hateful comments.
“It's really unfair that a whale like Jelena Dokic can take away the pleasure of watching tennis.
I bet it would take him 10 minutes to run 100 yards.
Please get rid of her, just seeing her makes me want to turn off my TV,” reads one of the screenshots.
“Oh my god, what happened?
You have to hold back on the snack!”, Launched another Internet user.
Read alsoIn the era of body positive, are we really done with the diktat of thinness?
In video, Nadal's wife in tears in the stands of the Australian Open
"I'll tell you what happened, I found a way to survive and fight," she replied.
A few years ago, the player said that she had been harassed and beaten by her father Damir since she was 6 years old.
Last year, she confided in her mental health and revealed that she had been close to suicide.
"It doesn't matter what I do and what happened because size shouldn't matter," she captioned her post.
What matters is online abuse, bullying and fat humiliation, she said.
That's all that matters because those of you who do are mean, evil, ignorant people."
The Australian player, born to Serbian parents, was also saddened by the number of “repugnant” messages from Serbian people, and women: “too bad for the sorority”, she commented.
Read alsoNantenin Keïta, Paralympic athlete: "It's not because it's not easy that it's impossible"
Fight to help others
Since the publication of her book
Unbreakable
in 2017, in which she recounted her struggles, Jelena Dokic has been campaigning to help victims of psychological and physical violence.
“I am here and I fight for all the people who suffer abuse and grossophobia, reaffirmed the consultant in her publication.
I can't change the world but I will continue to denounce these behaviors [...] so that others feel less alone.
Jelena Dokic finally thanked her community and the people who support her.
She concluded, "I love you all, even the trolls because you give me motivation and inspiration to fight against people like you."
