28-year-old Linda Cerruti is an Italian Olympic synchronized swimmer and this August she won six silver and two bronze medals at the European Aquatic Championships in Rome.
Wanting to share this great news with her followers, she shared a photo on Instagram, which became an occasion to gather insulting and vulgar sexist comments.
See the athlete's post in question
See her text below:
“Two days ago I shared a photo taken at the beach where I always go, where I developed my first dreams, a place that has a great symbolic value for me.
The photo shows me in an artistic pose, characteristic of my sport, upside down and doing spaghetti along with the eight medals I won during the best European Championships of my career.
I am literally shocked and disgusted by the hundreds, probably thousands, of inappropriate, sexist comments and the vile people responsible for them.
After over 20 years of training and sacrifice, I find it SHAMEFUL to say the least and it's heartbreaking to read the hordes of people making jokes that sexualize my body.
Is a butt and two legs really the only thing there is and the main topic of discussion? The least, and all I can do, is to expose the inappropriateness of these comments, reflecting a society that is still very masculine and different from the one I would like to be born and raise my children in one day."