Ona Carbonell Details Eating Disorder Pressures and Female Athlete Sexualization
Former artistic swimming star Ona Carbonell has spoken out about the suffocating aesthetic pressures and sexualization women face in elite sports, revealing that she was frequently weighed twice a day during her career and often found herself making front-page news for her swimwear rather than her medal finishes. In an interview published by diaridegirona.cat, the Olympic medalist addressed systemic eating disorder risks, the challenges of maternity leave in athletics, and the persistent double standards female competitors navigate compared to male athletes.
Daily Weigh-Ins and Eating Disorder Risks in Artistic Swimming
Carbonell highlighted the intense weight scrutiny embedded within artistic swimming, noting that athletes are often weighed one or two times daily while living away from home in regimented training environments from a young age. Arriving at the high-performance center at just 14 years old, she experienced firsthand the rigid demands regarding body composition and dietary restrictions, including strict gram-counting for meals. Carbonell credited her parents, both physicians, with keeping her grounded during vulnerable moments by countering coaching weight-cut directives with balanced meals, such as a steak and three plates of pasta. Despite her personal support network, she pointed out that many of her peers suffered from eating disorders that persisted throughout their athletic careers and beyond.
Media Sexualization and Portrayals Outweighing Athletic Achievement
Addressing the broader cultural framing of female athletes, Carbonell pointed to recent discussions sparked by fellow competitor Lourdes Mohedano regarding the sexualization of women in sports. Carbonell stated that while society has made some positive progress, female athletes still frequently find themselves starring on magazine covers because of how a swimsuit fits rather than whether they placed second or third in competition. Pointing to similar dynamics involving women’s volleyball shorts, she emphasized that such objectification does not happen to male athletes. She noted that recent global discussions, including public conversations around advertisements featuring figures like Sydney Sweeney, highlight the ongoing struggle for female athletes to be recognized strictly for their training, performance, and athletic identity rather than as sexualized bodies.
Social Media Pressures and Maternal Disparities in Modern Athletics
Beyond traditional media coverage, Carbonell identified social media as a major catalyst for aesthetic comparison and unverified health misinformation among younger athletes navigating strict diet cultures. Turning to family life, the mother of three discussed the realities of maternity leave and career longevity, noting that while things have improved compared to decades past, female athletes still face judgment and institutional hurdles upon returning to competition. She cited the high-profile case of water polo player Maica García, who spoke out after being let go by CN Sabadell following her maternity leave, emphasizing the necessity of giving public visibility to such treatment so that future generations do not have to fight the same battles.
Federation Policies and the Future of Equality
Evaluating recent administrative moves—such as the Spanish Football Federation’s policy offering egg freezing for players—Carbonell described supplementary options as positive as long as they function as genuine support rather than a veiled push to delay motherhood. She cautioned that freezing eggs must not become an administrative substitute for true professional conciliation or a tool that adds fresh pressure on athletes. Ultimately, Carbonell stressed that elite competitors must rely strictly on specialized professionals—psychologists, nutritionists, and coaches—while governing bodies continue to refine policies until equality in sports is fully realized.
