Body shaming in sport: how big a problem is it?

Recently published US research makes for painful reading - and it's the same story on the other side of the Atlantic

“Body shaming is a real thing…the players feel it…as women, we’re judged to look a certain way.”

Sometimes, coaches’ press conferences seem designed to deceive. Coy comments about a player’s recovery from injury follow meaningless platitudes, with press, pundits and fans pouring over the quotes in a desperate attempt to extract something meaningful from the remarks. Then there are Emma Hayes’ media briefings. Swap confusion for candour.

Last November, the Chelsea women’s team manager was in typically bullish form, addressing an incident involving Fran Kirby, a key member of Hayes’ squad. In a club documentary, Kirby revealed that she wore a jacket to “avoid being called fat all the time.” For Hayes, the admission was an insight into an issue that remains frustratingly at large and under-reported.