Anna Meares, the head of Australia’s Olympic team, criticized those who slammed Rachael Gunn, a breakdancer who failed to score a point during the Olympics held in Paris.
Since her performance was not good enough, she was ridiculed online and in various media outlets.
Meares said that she was disappointed with how the comments about her appearance and performance were carried out.
She praised her courage and said that she was an amazing member of the team.
Meares, who is a huge fan of the character of Rachael, said that she felt sorry for her.
The 36-year-old lecturer from Australia lost all of her three group matches by a score of over 50 points.
In 2008, she was reportedly locked up in a room crying because she was the only woman in a male-dominated sport.
It took a lot of courage for Rachael to fight for her chance to participate in a sport she loved, Meares noted.
She was able to qualify for the Olympics after winning a qualifying event. Meares said she was the best female breakdancer in the country.
The criticism she received was similar to the historic mistreatment of female athletes in the past.
During the history of women’s participation in the Olympics, she noted that they have experienced various forms of criticism and belittlement.
About a hundred years ago, Australia only sent a team of 37 athletes to the Paris 1924 Olympics.
Today, there are over 250 women participating in the event.