Media at Rio 2016 seen to be undermining women’s achievements by linking reports to their male partners

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

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Media commentators are coming under fire for reports perceived to be undermining female Olympians’ achievements as record numbers of women take part in the Games.

Hungarian swimmer Katinka Hosszu – nicknamed “The Iron Lady” – won gold in the 400m individual medley on Saturday night, beating the previous world record by nearly two seconds.



Her time of 4:26:36 was nearly five seconds faster than that of silver medallist, Maya DiRado of the United States.

Her husband and coach, Shane Tusup, drew commentary on social media for his typically energetic poolside display.

Much has been made of Tusup and Hosszu’s relationship since he became her coach in 2012.



NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) Find someone who loves you the way Katinka Hosszu’s husband loves her. https://t.co/BWGaUNiTHM https://t.co/iJUxPVkBRG

Lizz Rodriguez (@lizzettejannett) Get you a man who loves seeing you succeed as much as Shane Tusup loves seeing Katinka succeed #swimming #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/gJWK4aQQhK

Iron Lady (@HosszuKatinka) What a night!!!! Thank you for all the congratulations! pic.twitter.com/m5oIO6HOjH

The couple defended their arrangement to the New York Times last week, and said they were able to keep their professional and personal relationships separate.

“He expects me to get it perfect right away,” Hosszu said. “That’s why I’ve improved so much.”

But speaking on TV after the event, the NBC commentator Dan Hicks referred to Tusup as “the man responsible” for Hosszu’s record-breaking performance, sparking criticism on social media.

Elizabeth Picciuto (@epicciuto) After a woman just won a gold medal, announcer literally said, "And there's the man responsible," as camera showed her husband/coach.

Charlotte Wilder (@TheWilderThings) "There's the man responsible for turning his wife into an entirely new swimmer..." REALLY, NBC?

Cameron Esposito (@cameronesposito) Wait what did I just watch? Hosszu smashes WR & NBC cuts to husband coach w/ "and there's the person responsible for her performance"?!??

“With live TV, there are often times you look back and wish you had said things differently,” Hicks later told the Associated Press.

But he said he was alluding to the dynamic of the couple’s relationship: “It is impossible to tell Katinka’s story accurately without giving appropriate credit to Shane, and that’s what I was trying to do.”

The Chicago Tribune was similarly criticised for heading its report on Corey Cogdell-Unrein winning bronze in women’s trap shooting with a headline describing her as the “wife of a Bears’ lineman”.

Laura Keeney, a communications professional and former journalist, called attention to the gaffe on Twitter by editing the Tribune’s original tweet. “P.S. Maybe edit the article to focus on her achievements?”

Laura Keeney (@LauraKeeney) Hey @chicagotribune, I fixed your tweet. (p.s. Maybe edit the article to focus on her achievements?) #Olympics pic.twitter.com/edtoExBua4

Although Rio de Janeiro is Cogdell-Unrein’s third Games and the bronze is her second medal, the Tribune’s report on Monday dwells on the whereabouts and response of her husband.

“Unrein, a defensive end in his second season with the Bears, was unable to get away from training camp to join her in Rio and see her in the Olympics for the first time,” notes the fourth par.

Cogdell-Unrein said Cogdell was “super excited” about her win.

The great democratising effect of social media means it is not just professional media that risk criticism for their Olympics commentary.

A Twitter user in Dallas, Texas, was awarded “the gold medal in mansplaining” by BuzzFeed for his response to a tweet by the Dutch cyclist Annemiek van Vleuten who is recovering in hospital after a horrific crash in the women’s road race on Saturday.

“First lesson in bicycling, keep your bike steady... whether fast or slow,” Martin A. Betancourt said in response to van Vleuten’s message.

Beggie Smalls (@beggie_smalls) And today in 'Men on the Internet' this helpful guy mansplains cycling to an Olympic athlete pic.twitter.com/39qwnXz6HR

At time of writing Betancourt was still fielding criticism from other users for his reply to van Vleuten.

According to figures from the International Olympic Committee, there are approximately 4,700 women taking part in the 2016 Games, about 45% of the total participants, and a record number.

For the first time, Australia has sent more female athletes than male. The US delegation includes a record 292 women, the most to have ever competed at an Olympics for a single country.